Fifty Shades Of Grey rules international box office on $34.3m

UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: The S&M romance has overtaken the $332.4m lifetime total of Ted to rank as Universal’s biggest R-rated release and stands at $484.7m worldwide with $500m a clear target this week.

Fifty Shades Of Grey ranks number one in more than 40 territories including Germany and Spain where American Sniper and Kingsman: The Secret Service opened respectively.

The hit debuted at number four in South Korea on $1.8m from 512 sites. Thus far the UK remains the lead territory on $46.6m, followed by Germany on $33.2m, France on $24.4m, Brazil on $24.1m, Italy on $21.1m and Spain on $19m.

Russia has delivered $17m, Australia $16m, Mexico $14.5m, Venezuela $10.1m, Poland $8.6m and Argentina $7.6m. 

There are two territories to go: Egypt on March 11 and India on a date to be determined.

The Theory Of Everything starring Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne took $3.5m from 56 territories for $75.5m internationally and $110.6m worldwide. The Stephen Hawking drama opened in Russia on an estimated $235,000 from 110 venues, scoring the biggest launch in five years for a film on less than 150 screens.

The UK has generated $31.3m (£20.9m) after eight weeks. Theory is set to debut in Japan on March 14, Serbia and Montenegro on March 19 and Vietnam on March 27.

The Boy Next Door added $1m from 11 for $4.2m and opened in the UK in seventh place on $682,000 from 336. There are 29 territories still to open. Next weekend, the film opens in Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Portugal.       

Legendary’s Seventh Son stands at $60.9m and Universal Pictures International executives said it opened well in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and Trinidad. 

Including $25.5m in China via legendary East the fantasy adventure stands at $86.5m. There are eight territories to go including Australia, Austria, Germany, New Zealand and Venezuela this week.

Brazilian comedy Superpai (Deadbeat Dad) debuted in Brazil on $756,536 in 320 venues. Alex Garland’s sci-fi Ex Machina arrived in Spain at number eight on $303,000 from 179. The sci-fi has reached $5.1m from four territories, which include the UK on $4.2m, South Korea on $582,000 and Slovenia on $15,000.

Boyhood stands at $24.3m, Legendary’s Blackhat on $9.9m, The Boy Next Door on $4m and Unbroken on $45.8m. Barbie: Princess Power, which Universal Pictures International distributes in conjunction with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, has generated $1.3m from 13 territories.

FOX INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: Kingsman: The Secret Service brought in a further $26m from 71 markets in its fifth weekend overall to push the tally to $125m.

South Korea was the top market on $5.3m from 669 for number one in the third session for $25.5m to rank as Fox’s fourth biggest ever release. France added $2.4m from 497 for $6.6m after two sessions.

Kingsman debuted in Mexico at number two on $1.7m from 1,050, number three in Spain on $1.3m from 485 and number three in Italy on $1.2m from 263.

Australia and the UK added $1.2m from 268 for $10.9m after four weekends and $1m from 500 for $22.2m after five, respectively.

Taken 3 crossed $200m as a $1.5m from 35 boosted the tally to $201.1m. 

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel produced $9.4m from its three launch markets, opening top in the UK on a mighty $5.7m from 871 to exceed the original’s performance by more than 170% according to Fox.

The sequel beat the original by 15% in Australia on a number one launch that delivered $3.2m from 297 and beat the first film by 20% in New Zealand on $484,000 from 162.

Best picture Oscar winner Birdman took $6.4m from 34 for $47m, led by a number six debut in France on $1.6m from 159. DreamWorks Animation’s The Penguins Of Madagascar grossed $2.7m from 31 for $281.8m.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb took $2.5m from 19 for $232.9m. The film’s final launch will be in Japan on March 20. The Book Of Life stands at $47.5m.

ASIA UPDATE

Wong Jing’s gambling caper From Vegas To Macau II with Chow Yun-fat grossed $22m for $108m, while Daniel Lee’s Dragon Blade starring Jackie Chan, John Cusack and Adrien Brody used a $12.5m weekend to climb to $92m.

Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Mongolia-set Chinese-French co-production Wolf Totem grossed $17m for $72m and Peter Pau and Zhao Tianyu’s 3D fantasy adventureSnow Girl And The Dark Crystal has reached $52m following a $6.5m session.

WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: American Sniper added a confirmed $20.6m from 4,570 screens in 58 markets for $140.3m and now ranks as the biggest international release for a film directed by Clint Eastwood.

Eastwood scored another new mark in Germany, where the war film opened in second place on $3.8m from 333 including previews.

American Sniper held on to top berth in France on $4.5m from 461 for $12.4m after two sessions and did the same in Japan on $2.5m from 338 for $8.6m.

Spain generated $1.9m from 405 to rank second and climb to $6.2m, while Mexico and Brazil used $1.6m for $5.5m and $1.3m for $3.5m respectively to become Eastwood’s biggest ever release. The film debuts in Russia this week.

The return of Will Smith starring opposite Margot Robbie in the caper Focus produced $13.9m from 3,860 screens in 31 markets led by a $3.6m number one debut in Russia on 1,265 screens.

The UK delivered an impressive $2.9m from 574, while UAE produced an excellent $993,000 and Holland $774,000. Focus opens this week in Germany, Italy, Australia and Mexico, followed by Brazil on March 12, France on March 25 and Spain on March 27.

Jupiter Ascending grossed $3.5m from 2,860 screens in 64 for $81.1m, adding $837,000 from 385 in its second weekend in Australia for approximately $2.8m. Russia has generated $9m, the UK $6.4m, France $6.4m, Brazil $5.9m and Germany $4.9m.

The sci-fi adventure opens in China this week followed by Japan on March 28.

Local German production Traumfrauen used $2.8m from 597 screens in its second weekend in Germany to rank third and climb to $7.7m. Traumfrauen is a Hellinger/Doll, Warner Bros Ent and Decker Bros co-production.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water grossed $14.2m from 6,947 venues in 46 territories to boost the running total to $96.3m. The family title opened in opened top in Italy on $2.3m from 360 and added $2.2m from 559 in Germany for $7.7m after two.

France delivered $2.1m from 634 in the second session for $6m and Brazil $1.1m from 480 for $14.8m after four. The film arrives in the UK on March 27 and Australia on April 2.

Time travel adventure Project Almanac grossed $1.7m from 865 locations in nine for $7.4m and opened in fifth place in Australia on $549,000 from 205 venues and arrived in France on $759,000 from 195. The second weekend in the UK added $256,000 from 349 for $1.9m. This week’s launches are Germany and Mexico.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles grossed $562,000 from 332 locations in its fourth weekend in Japan for $8.6m as the international running total reached $293.8m.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

Oscar winner Big Hero 6 grossed $21.6m from 25 territories to bump the haul up to $351.3m internationally and $572.2m worldwide.

China was the key driver as the animation debuted on $14.8m for a record launch for a Disney Animation title.

Japan has generated $73.9m, the UK $27.1m, Russia $20.2m, South Korea $20m, Australia $17.4m and Mexico $17m.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL

Annie grossed $1.9m from 1,720 screens in 35 territories to climb to $46.6m, of which $41m comes from Sony markets and the $5.6m balance via Village Roadshow.

The musical arrived in France on $500,000 from 184 screens and added $300,000 in Japan for $10.8m after six weekends. Spain has generated $3.2m after five weekends and Argentina $575,000 after two. 

The Wedding Ringer grossed $1.7m from 30 for $11m and stands at $2.7m in the UK after two weekends. It opened in Venezuela on $315,000 from 30 for number four.

Batalion held firm in second place in its second weekend in Russia as $1.4m boosted the tally to $5.4m.

STUDIOCANAL UK

Shaun The Sheep grossed $1.6m for $17.9m, while global smash Paddington has climbed to $57.1m (£37.1m) and The Imitation Game $25m (£16.3m).