Oblivion posts $60.4m debut

Oblivion’s $60.4m gross came from approximately 7,637 venues and once again it was Russia that led the cascade of number one results on $9m from 870 for the biggest 2D debut of the year-to-date and a new record opening for Cruise.

The film took $7.6m (£5m) in the UK from 515, the widest release yet for a Cruise film that resulted in the star’s fourth biggest debut behind War Of The Worlds and Mission: Impossible 3 and 4.   

Universal top brass noted that when compared to the same bucket of territories, Oblivion’s opening salvo came in 22% ahead of the unadjusted launch of Tron: Legacy (director Joseph Kosinski’s previous film from 2010) and roughly on a par with 2001’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. The former finished on a $228m lifetime gross and Apes mustered $305m.

Oblivion generated approximately $3.5m on 140 IMAX screens for a solid $25,070 average. IMAX executives indicated strong Friday-to-Saturday jumps in Russia, Taiwan and Brazil.

Returning to conventional theatres, the sci-fi generated $4m from 597 in France and $2.9m from 452 in Spain for the fourth biggest 2013 debut thus far and Cruise’s fifth biggest opening.

In other number one launches, South Korea produced $4.2m from 310, Australia $3.5m from 232, Mexico $2.9m from 571 and Brazil $1.9m from 437.

Indonesia generated $1.5m from 140 for Universal’s biggest launch and the best opening salvo from Cruise. Universal executives reported a full complement of number one debuts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and claimed “outstanding” results.

Identity Thief grossed $2.9m from 1,585 sites in 25 territories to reach $30m, while Jurassic Park 3D added $1.3m from 1,039 in 10 for an early $5.8m and Mama grossed $1.4m from 643 in 31 for $60.8m.

• UPDATE: DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods added a confirmed $25.5m from 10,039 screens in 65 markets through Fox International to propel the running total to $244.7m.

The highlight was a number two debut in France on $3.5m from 767 that will benefit from the start of school holidays. The family feature held firm in second place in the UK where $3m from 1,000 boosted the score to $34.4m after four weekends.

Australia generated $2.8m from 543 for $16.9m after three weekends and in a string of fourth weekends The Croods coaxed a further $1.6m from 557 in Brazil for $13.4m, $1.6m from 889 in Mexico for $22.9m, $938,516 from 395 in Germany for $17.3m and $741,547 from 545 in Spain for $14.4m. The film ranks number two in all these territories except for Mexico where it ranks third.

The Croods opened in second place in New Zealand on $728,439 from 138 and was expected to finish second in its Turkish debut on $346,726 from 206. The Russian running total has reached $26.7m after four sessions.

Fox International Productions’ Dragonball Z held on to the top berth in Japan for the third consecutive weekend as $2.4m from 312 raised the rally to $23.4m in association with Toei. Running Man added $1.7m in South Korea from 379 for $6.4m after two. A Good Day To Die Hard stands at $235.6m.

• Paramount Pictures International executives reported that G.I. Joe: Retaliation brought in a further $15.6m from 7,368 locations in 61 territories in the third weekend for a solid $168.3m tally that has now overtaken the $152.3m lifetime total of 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra. The sci-fi action release is scheduled to open on Monday [15] in China and on Jun 8 in Japan.  

Brazil was the top market after three weekends on $1.2m from 400 for $8m. A further $1.1m from 537 in Germany resulted in $9.4m and Mexico’s $1m from 566 pushed the running total to $12.7m. The UK has generated $10.6m, Australia $9.8m, France $6.8m and South Korea $12.3m. Russia’s $15.4m ensures it remains the lead market by running total.

Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters stands at $165m and continues to play in 14 markets.

• Oz The Great And Powerful coasted past $250m as a further $5.2m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International propelled the running total to $251.6m. The fantasy adventure has prospered the most in Russia where it stands at $27.3m, followed by China on $24.9m, the UK on $22.1m and Japan on $18.1m. Spain has produced $8m.
• Warner Bros Pictures International’s Jack The Giant Slayer added $5m from 4,881 screens in 55 markets to reach $126m. Russia is the lead market on $14.9m while Mexico has produced $12.9m, the UK $10.8m and China $8.5m.
• UPDATE: Evil Dead has climbed to an even $10m through Sony Pictures Releasing International following a $2.9m session from 1,156 screens in 23 territories. Russia generated $1.4m from 420 for $4.7m after two and Spain added $636,198 from 306 for $2.4m.
• StudioCanal launchedThe Place Beyond The Pines in the UK on 114 sites and the drama generate approximately $660,000 including $10,000 in previews. Sources anticipate the second best screen average in the weekend’s top 20.
• Focus Features International reported that Cloud Atlas has reached $20.7m through its licensees and Hyde Park On Hudson $5.2m.