Ghost Protocol enters 2012 as top int'l film on $37m hold

The film dominated the UK following the Boxing Day (Dec 26) launch and grossed $12.7m in its first seven days. For the third consecutive weekend Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol stayed top in Japan and South Korea, where it has amassed $35.7m and $34.8m, respectively.

The latest tally in France and Russia stands at $14.8m and $12.2m, respectively. It arrives later this month in China, Italy, Scandinavia, Poland and Argentina.

DreamWorks Animation’s Puss In Boots added $21.3m from 50 markets for $274.5m and has reached $16.1m in Italy after three weekends.

The Adventures Of Tintin opened top in Australia and New Zealand on Boxing Day on a combined $8.6m, which brings PPI’s territories to $64m and results in a $260.5m overall tally.

The figure incorporates Sony Pictures Releasing International’s (SPRI) $178.5m haul and $12.1m in Japan through Toho Towa and $5.9m in South Korea through Lotte.

PPI head Anthony Marcoly confirmed that the company’s films generated $3.21bn for 2011, as reported recently on Screendaily.

• Close behind Ghost Protocol was Warner Bros Pictures International’s (WBPI) Sherlock Homes: A Game Of Shadows on $34m from 45 markets for a running total of $106m. The adventure sequel opened top in Russia on $6.4m including previews from 1,170 screens and top in Mexico on $3.4m including previews from 1,153.

The film added $4m in its third weekend in the UK from 550 for $24.9m and stands at $9.7m in Germany after two, while a $3.1m number one hold in Italy from 695 resulted in $19.2m after three.

New Year’s Eve aded $10m from 55 markets for $67.2m. The rom-com has generated $9.6m in Australia, $9.5m in the UK and $5.6m in Germany, all after four weekends.

• Fox International reported that Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked grossed an estimated $24.4m to elevate the early tally to $81m.

The third entry in the family franchise was active on 6,764 screens in 57 markets and held well across the board, led by France on $4.1m from 602 for number two and $10.7m after two weekends and the UK on $2.4m from 650 for number four and $14.3m after three.

The film added $1.6m in Germany from 650 for number five and $4.9m after two and ranks number one in Belgium and Holland on $1.9m after two and $3m after three, respectively. It ranked top after the Jan 1 opening day in Australia generated $1.4m from 366 and opened in Russia on $1.4m from 608.

Cameron Crowe’s lighthearted drama We Bought A Zoo arrived in seven new markets, earning $5.2m from 1,413 screens in 13 markets overall for an early $7.8m. Australia dominated proceedings as the film opened top (prior to the launch of Alvin 3) on $3.1m from 279.

Alien invasion thriller The Darkest Hour brought in $3.4m from 2,111 in 16 for $8.3m in the second weekend of international release and debuted at number one in Malaysia on $853,629 on 150. It arrives in a further 17 markets this week including South Korea, Taiwan, Sweden and Belgium.

New Regency’s In Time added $1.3m from 1,006 in 13 markets as the running total climbed to $103.5m. The sci-fi thriller stands at $8.8m in France after six weekends and after five has reached $8.6m in Germany and $7.4m in Spain.

Fox International Productions’ Taiwanese local sensation You Are The Apple Of My Eye has become the biggest Chinese language film of all-time in Hong Kong and the territory’s sixth biggest release ever on $8.2m.

• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo generated $8.3m through Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) from 1,540 screens in 15 markets as the early running total reached $12.2m. The thriller opened at number four in the UK on $6.7m from 920 following the Boxing Day launch, while the Friday-Sunday period produced $2.4m.

David Fincher’s English language adaptation stands at $2.9m in Sweden – where the late author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy takes place – after two sessions.

Arthur Christmas is approaching the $100m mark following a $3.5m weekend from 3,930 screens in 74 markets. The animation stands at $32.7m in the UK after eight weekends, $7.3m in France after six and $2.5m in Italy after two.

The Adventures Of Tintin is off to a decent start in Mexico through SPRI and has taken $2.2m after two weekends.

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI) issued revised results for its international performance in 2011. Top brass anticipate a $2.17bn finish, which combines with $1.2bn in North America for $3.385bn worldwide. This was The Walt Disney Company’s third best year ever and the fifth time it has crossed the $3bn mark.

WDSMPI executives reported a $4m holiday weekend launch of DreamWorks’ War Horse in two markets. The Muppets grossed $5m for an early $9.3m from 13 markets.

• Universal Pictures International’s (UPI) comedy caper Tower Heist added $2.8m from 750 sites in 23 territories for $57.5m. It opened in Australia on Boxing Day and has reached $4.6m from 199 in its first week.

Universal is distributing the German rom-com Rubbeldiekatz in German-speaking Europe and reported a $3m weekend from 643 in three for $11.2m. The running total in Germany itself is $10.4m.

The Change-Up stands at $36.5m and opened in limited release in Spain on $665,000 from 210. Immortals has grossed more than $100m including Lionsgate territories and stands at $30m from Universal territories. Johnny English Reborn has amassed $154m and is set to arrive in Japan and Venezuela in the coming months.

UPI enjoyed a $1.3bn calendar year in 2011 according to revised figures issued on Jan 1. Executives said the result represented a 9% rise on 2010 performance.

The top five films were Fast And Furious Five on $419m, Johnny English Reborn on $154m, Bridesmaids on $119m, Hop on $80m and The Adjustment Bureau on $66m. The leading local language acquisition for the year was Russia’s Office Romance on $12m.