China one-two rules international box office

Pou-soi Cheang’s China-Hong Kong 3D epic The Monkey King starring Donnie Yen and Chow Yun-Fat launched on an estimated $46m.

The story tells of a Buddhist monk’s pilgrimage to India to collect sacred texts.

Dad, Where Are We Going? came in second overall on an estimated $34m. The property is based on the Chinese reality TV hit, itself based on a South Korean show, and follows the relationship between celebrity fathers and their young children.

• The Wolf Of Wall Street added $26m overall to reach a $122m running total, comprising Red Granite International licensees and Universal and Paramount markets. The dark comedy added $14.2m from 1,820 sites in Universal markets to reach $73.2m. The dark comedy opened top in Norway on $940,000 from 72.

The film is now Martin Scorsese’s biggest release in Germany and the UK, which both held firm at number one through Universal on $4.7m from 623 for $20.1m and $4.2m from 502 for $24.7m, respectively. It ranks second in Spain as $2.4m from 280 boosted the tally to $11.4m after three. Wolf arrived in Japan through Paramount on $1.5m from 242.

• Frozen continued to surge ahead on the back of five Annie wins in Hollywood at the weekend, adding an estimated $24m from 45 Disney markets to reach $504m.

The film’s global haul has generated $864.4m as Frozen ranks number seven in the all-time pantheon. It overtook Shrek 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2 at the weekend to rank as the eighth biggest international release.

After 10 weekends the lead market remains the UK on $59.5m, followed by Germany on $45.7m, South Korea on $44.7m, France on $41.8m and Russia on $33.1m.

Australia has produced $29.2m, Italy $27m, Mexico $25.1m, Spain $20.8m, Brazil $19.8m, Venezuela $10.8m, Argentina $10.1m, and the Netherlands $9.8m.

After six weekends Frozen became the biggest animated release of all time in South Korea, where as in all Asian markets they are celebrating New Year, and has achieved the same feat in Denmark after six. The film scored the highest weekend in industry history in its $2.2m opening session in Sweden.

Saving Mr Banks added $1.1m to stand at $17.9m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. The lead markets are Australia on $7.9m and the UK on $6.9m.

• Universal Pictures International scored a huge hit in Russia, where local title and 3D fantasy adventure Viy arrived on $17.7m from 1,030 venues. This marks the biggest launch for a local film, Universal’s highest debut and the fourth biggest debut of all time behind Pirates of The Caribbean 4, Iron Man 3 and Twilight 4.

Despicable Me 2has reached $602m internationally and $48.5m in China after four sessions. Lone Survivor, which Universal is distributing in the UK, Italy and Korea, opened in the UK at number four on $1.3m from 389.

47 Ronin grossed $7.4M from 3,000 in 44 for $92m and the martial arts film opened at number three in Germany on $1.9m from 452 and debuted top in Mexico on $2.2m from 575. The Physician (Der Medicus), the English-language German production that Universal acquired for Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland, added $2.2m from at 680 dates in the four territories for $43.7m. It has reached $38.4m in Germany.

Universal is distributing Police Story, the Jackie Chan action film, in South Korea and it opened at number eight on $861,000 from 237.

• Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit added $9.1m from 55 territories through Paramount Pictures International to reach $61.1m. The thriller arrived in 16 markets led by France on $1.9m from 394, Taiwan on $897,000 from 67 and Spain on $752,000 from 306. Shadow Recruit added $1.2m in its second weekend in the UK to stand at $4.1m and stands at $4.5m in Australia after three sessions. China has generated $24.3m after three. 

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones grossed $2.3m from 45 for an early $53.9m and debuted in Italy on $337,000 from 170. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues stands at $43.4m from eight and debuted in Germany on $477,000 from 195. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa stands at $58.9m.

• MGM and Columbia Pictures’ Robocop remake ventured into its first three markets through Sony Pictures Releasing International, grossing a thunderous $5.5m from 433 screens.

The action film opened top in all three, taking $2.3m from 233 in Malaysia, $1.8m from 140 in Taiwan and $1.3m from 60 in Singapore.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 added $2m from 30 markets for $141.7m.

American Hustle added $1.5m from 25 for $5.7m through Sony and overall the Sony-Annapurna Productions ensemble drama has reached $60m including Panorama licensees following a $2.3m number one debut in Spain. The fiml has crossed $20m in the UK.

• The Book Thief grossed $4.1m from 1,850 screens in 28 Fox International markets for $23.7m.  The WW2 drama opened in Brazil at number one on $1.3m from 265.

Devil’s Due added $3m from 2,196 screens in 20 markets for $9.5m, boosted by a $1.1m Mexican launch. Reliance Big and BBC Earth’s Walking With Dinosaurs added $3m from 2,286 screens in 21 markets for $84.2m including those territories licensed by IM Global. The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty grossed $2.1m from 39 markets for $117m.

• The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug reached an even $600m on the back of a $2.7m session through Warner Bros Pictures International. Germany leads on $87m, the UK on $70m, France on $50.5m, Russia on $45m, Australia on $33.4m and Spain on $23.4m.
• Lionsgate International executives reported that 12 Years A Slave arrived in second place on Australia on $1.3m from 122 screens. France is projecting a weekend gross of $2.9m number one hold and the UK $2.4m in second place. The international running total stands sat $50.6m from 40 markets.
• IMAX top brass reported that The Monkey King generated $1.8m on Friday (January 31) from 140 IMAX screens for a new IMAX single day record for a Hollywood or Chinese title. Over the three-day weekend IMAX is projected to generated $4.5m.
• In its second weekend, Inside Llewyn Davis added $762,000 in the UK through StudioCanal to stand at $2.7m.