Chinese Running Brother rules int’l BO

CHINA UPDATE

Besides Chinese Running Brother there was the Chinese animation Boonie Bears Movie 2, which produced $14.2m for the weekend.

WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

New Line-MGM’s The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (pictured) delivered $22.4m from more than 9,500 screens in 57 markets as the running total soared to $664.2m.

Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth finale plundered a further $20.2m (Rmb 126.3m) in its second session for $92.6m (Rmb 575.8m) as the film became Warner Bros’ third biggest in history.

After China, Germany ranks as the second biggest market on $78.6m, followed by the UK on $64.1m, France on $45.9m, Russia on $30.2m, Australia on $27.8m, South Korea on $22.1m, Spain on $19.8m, Brazil on $19.5m, Italy on $17.3m, Mexico on $17.2m and Sweden on $16.6m.

American Sniper grossed $11.1m from more than over 2,300 screens in 30 markets to propel the tally to $67.3m. The war film debuted in Colombia on $595,000 from 65 screens and immediately became Clint Eastwood’s biggest film in the market.

A further $2.7m in the second session in Australia ensured the film stayed top as it climbed to $9.3m, while $2.4m from the third weekend in the UK established American Sniper as Eastwood’s biggest release of all time there as it reached $14m (£9.3m).

FOX INTERNATIONAL

Taken 3 generated $21.2m from 61 markets to push the tally to $164.5m. The thriller arrived at number two in Mexico on $3.5m from 1,454 screens and debuted in Argentina in first place on $1.3m from 158.

Brazil added $1.5m from 444 for $4.7m to rank second after two weekends, while the UK grossed $1.3m from 425 for $25.5m after four sessions.

Taken 3 has generated $15m in France and earned $52.6m overall from EuropaCorp markets.

Kingsman: The Secret Service arrived in the UK and Sweden on  $6.7m from 950 in a number one finish and $528,000 from 156, respectively.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb crossed $200m as $6.8m from 35 pushed the tally to $204.7m. It opened in Italy on $2.8m from 416 for number one and added $1m from 76 in Venezuela in the second weekend to stay top and climb to $2.8m.

DreamWorks Animations’ Penguins Of Madagascar earned $6.7m from 29 for $252.5m. It opened in Poland on $1.2m from 235 screen and held on to top spot in its third session in Brazil as $1.9m boosted the running total to $13.4m.

Birdman opened in Germany on $784,000 from 156 and added $4.7m from 42 markets overall for $26m. Let’s Be Cops has reached $54.5m.

Exodus: Gods And Kings had its final opening in Japan where it grossed $2m from 678 screens and $4.4m overall from 22 markets to stand at $195.6m.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

Big Hero 6 added $20.1m from 37 territories in its 15th weekend of release as the running total climbed to $266.6m.

The animation opened at number one in the UK on $6m, rising to $6.8m including previews. It stands at the top film in South Korea and has reached $12.7m, ranking as the third biggest Disney Animation/Pixar release of all-time behind only Frozen and Toy Story 3.

Japan remains the lead market on $63m after seven weekends and stayed top there in its fifth consecutive session.

Russia stands at $20.1m, Mexico and Australia $16.9m apiece, Brazil $12.6m, Italy $12.1m, Spain $10.4m, Argentina $8.5m, Germany $7.5m and the UK $6.8m.

Malaysia has produced $6.2m, Colombia $4.7m, Philippines $4.4m, Hong Kong $4.3m and Singapore $4.2m.

Into The Woods grossed $4.7m from 29 in its sixth weekend to reach $40.6m. The UK has generated $12.6m, Australia $9.1m, South Korea $2.4m, Russia $1.7m and Spain $1.6m. It arrives this week in Mexico and Argentina, followed by Germany on February 19.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

The Theory Of Everything added $7.5m for $51.2m and opened in second place in Australia on $1.3m from 241 venues and arrived at number six in Brazil on $500,000 from 57. It added $1.8m in the UK for $25.3m after five weekends.

Unbroken grossed $6.4m from 46 to reach $36m and opened in China in fourth place on $2.9m and debuted in Italy at number three on $1.3m.

Legendary’s Seventh Son, which Universal is distributing worldwide, grossed $2.7m from 45 territories including China for $82m. Universal’s total excluding China is $56.3m. The film opened top in India on $281,000.  China has generated $25.7m via Legendary East.

Blackhat stands at $6.7m and arrived in fourth place in Russia on $595,000 from 685 and in Spain in fifth place on $446,000 from 269. The cyber-thriller opens this week in Germany.

Ouija has grossed $46.8m and The Boy Next Door $1.5m.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL

Controversial comedy The Interview opened in three markets, grossing $596,000 from 325 screens.

The film, which famously drew the ire of the North Korean leadership and became mired in a cyber attack that ultimately forced Sony to cancel the wide US release last December, opened in Brazil on $287,000 from 153.

France produced $214,000 from 127 and the Netherlands $45,000 from 34.

Annie took $4.2m from 33 territories to reach $32.9m, of which $27.6m comes from Sony and the $5.3m balance via Village Roadshow. The family film opened top in Spain on $1.2m from 290 and added $1.4m in its second session in Japan for $5m.

The Wedding Ringer grossed $1.1m from 20 for an early $3.2m. Fury has reached $79.3m via Sony.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water opened with an $8m haul from its first five territories led by $6.7m in Mexico from 672 for a clear number one heading into Monday’s nationwide holiday. The family film debuts this week in Spain and Brazil.

Time-travel adventure Project Almanac opened day-and-date with North America on $1.9m from the first 10 markets led by a number two result in Russia on $930,000 from 850. Taiwan opens this week.

The Gambler added $492,000 from six markets to reach $4.2m and arrives in Australia this week. 

STUDIOCANAL

Paddington used a $655,000 weekend haul in the UK to climb to $53.5m (£35.51m). The international running total stands at $148m and worldwide has reached $198.5m incuding $50.5m in Nirth America via TWC.

The Imitation Game stands at $24.1m (£15.8m) in the UK.