'Beauty And The Beast' soars past $50m worldwide

Walt Disney Studios executives reported on Friday that Beauty And The Beast grossed $11.5m from several international territories and delivered about $40m in North American Thursday previews and early Friday shows.

EARLY FRIDAY REPORT: Walt Disney Studios executives reported on Friday that Beauty And The Beast launched on $11.5m in a number of early territories and delivered $16.3m in Thursday previews in North America.

Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans and Josh Gad opened at number one everywhere except Slovakia, where the film ranked as the top non-local title. The film arrives in the UK and China this weekend.

Disney’s live-action remake debuted in Brazil on $1.8m for Disney’s biggest live-action opening day and the second biggest opening day of 2017 to date.

South Korea delivered $1.2m for the third biggest live-action opening behind Pirates Of The Caribbean 3 and 4.

Germany produced $1.1m for the second biggest opening day of 2017 and the second biggest March opening, while Italy delivered $1m for the biggest March Thursday debut and biggest Disney Thursday debut.

Austria and Denmark each generated the biggest March opening day and the second biggest opening day of 2017.

The film also scored biggest 2017 opening days in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Beauty And The Beast grossed $16.3m in Thursday previews in North America.

The result was the biggest of the year-to-date, a record for a Disney live-action title, the second biggest for a PG film and the third biggest in March.

It ranks above reported preview grosses for both Iron Man 3 and Furious 7, as well as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.