Star Trek rules international roost with $35.5m overseas launch

Combined with the $72.5m number one North American launch the fresh take on the venerable sci-fi property grossed $108m worldwide in its opening weekend, rising to $112m including North American previews.

The weekend result beat Fox International’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine into second place, not too far behind on $29.7m from approximately 9,000 screens in 102 markets for an impressive $123.7m international and $253.3m global running total after two weekends.

Nonetheless Wolverine took a 59% tumble and the question now is whether Star Trek can capitalise on strong word of mouth and pass its early rival on the way up. Next weekend’s global launch of Sony’s Angels & Demons will create an impact but the films play to different audiences.

Buoyed by a hip sensibility, fresh-faced personnel and imminent launches in Japan, China and Mexico, there are indications that the USS Enterprise’s eleventh theatrical mission could live long and prosper given its broad appeal.

To illustrate the point, PPI chiefs noted the debut had already outstripped the entire $24m international run of Stars Trek: Nemesis, the previous entry in the sci-fi canon. Star Trek came in 3% above Warner Bros Pictures International’s 2005 release of Batman Begins in the same territories when adjusted for inflation.

Weekend results were led predictably enough by the UK where Star Trek grossed $8.8m (£6m) from 501 venues. Excluding of £800,000 in previews this came in roughly 6% ahead of the £4.8m debut of Wolverine last weekend.

Germany delivered $4.6m (€3.4m) including €430,000 in previews from 693 sites, roughly 17% ahead of the €3m for Wolverine, while Australia produced $3.4m (A$4.5m) from 210 venues.

Star Trek grossed $2.8m (€2.1m) from 492 sites in France, $2.3m (Roubles 74m) from 450 locations in Russia, and $2.2m (Won 2.74bn) including previews in South Korea, which was 2% behind the Wolverinedebut. Spain generated $1.6m (€1.2m) and Brazil $714,000 (Reais 1.5m).

The USS Enterprise arrives in Japan and China next weekend and ventures into Mexico on June 5.

In its sixth weekend of wide release DreamWorks Animation’s Monsters Vs Aliensadded $3.6m from 4,748 sites in 60 territories for a $159.3m international cumulative total. The biggest contribution came from France, where $526,000 from 535 venues raised the tally to $10m.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine held on to the number one spot in 22 markets according to Fox International, including everywhere in Latin America, as well as France, China, Belgium, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Most markets saw drops in the 50-60% range. Wolverine added $3.3m from 488 in the UK for $17.9m in second place, $3.25m from 700 in France for $11.3m, $2.29m from 611 in Brazil for $8m, $2.28m from 475 in Spain for $8.4m in second place, $2.2m from 414 in Australia for $9.7m in second place, $1.9m from 860 in China for $5.2m, and $1.7m from 800 in Germany for $6.8m in second place.

The prequel added $1.3m from 774 in Russia for $6.6m in second place, $1.1m from 447 in Italy for $5.5m for a likely number three ranking, and stands at $5.1m in South Korea at number four, $2m in Thailand at number two, and $1.6m in Venezuela for number one ahead of Star Trek.

Hannah Montana The Movie added $7.8m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International in 1,500 theatres in 16 territories for a promising early $19.7m running total.

The tween delight opened top in Spain on $3.4m and beat the combined grosses of Star Trek and Wolverine. It added $2.1m in fourth place from 400 in the UK for $7.3m after two weekends, and added $710,000 in the second weekend in Italy for $2.6m.

UPI’s animated release Coraline opened in nine territories and took $4.9m from 1,423 venues in 14 overall for an early $15.2m running total. The film launched in third place in the UK on $3.7m (£2.5m) from 392. There are 34 territories to go over the next five months.

Fast & Furious is bearing down on $200m after adding $3.5m from 4,100 venues in 60 territories for $189m. Cinemas in Mexico reopened last Wednesday as authorities revised their prognosis of the swine flu outbreak and the action film ranked second and added $200,000 from 370 sites for a $12.7m tally, a superb number considering the circumstances.

Elsewhere, Fast & Furiousheld in fifth place in Australia in its fourth weekend on $480,000 from 220 for $11.8m. The UK and Germany have delivered $19.8m and $14.9m, respectively. There are four territories to go including Japan, the setting for the third film in the series.

Political thriller and BBC miniseries adaptation State Of Play grossed $2.5m from 1,300 in 14 territories for an early $16.8m. The UK has generated $7m after three and Spain $5m after four. The Boat That Rocked, Working Title’s drama inspired by the story of Radio Caroline, added $1.9m from 1,473 venues in 18 territories including France through Studio Canal and stands at $18.6m. France delivered $1.2m from 200 through Studio Canal in its first weekend.

Park Chan-wook’s South Korean vampire tale Thirst, the Focus Features International and CJ Entertainment co-production that will screen in competition in Cannes, ranked third in its second weekend in South Korea through CJ on $1.5m from 418 venues for $9m. Crime caper Duplicity added $1.4m from 850 in 32 territories for $31.1m.

New Line International’s high school comedy 17 Again added $4.4m from 2,037 screens in 32 territories for $41.8m, while Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past grossed $2.8m from 677 screens in five for $5.7m. The romantic comedy opened in Australia on $1.3m from 203 screens and added $1.2m from 386 in the UK for just over $4m.