Fifty Shades storms to $174m at international box office

UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: The thunderous opening salvo scored number one debuts virtually across the board and obliterated the previous $117m mark set by The Matrix Revolutions back in 2003. This was also Universal’s second best opening weekend behind Fast & Furious 6 on $160.3m.

Saturday’s (February 14) $55.1m overtook $46.2m set by the sixth Fast film to secure Universal’s biggest single day at the international box office.

Universal claimed 60% of film-goers saw Fifty Shades Of Grey this weekend as the smash S&M romance set all-time opening weekend records in 13 territories including Argentina, new Universal marks in 35 and best-ever debuts for a film rated R or equivalent in 42.

The studio reported a company best $20.8m in the UK from 586 venues in what was also the biggest February debut, the ninth biggest industry launch and the biggest opening weekend for a film rated 15 or 18.

France generated $12.3m from 785 locations for a Universal record, while Germany produced $14.1m from 741 for the studio’s second biggest debut and a new February mark.

Italy generated $10.1m from 530 for a studio and R-rated record; Russia $11m from 1,105 for a Universal and 16+ and/or 18+ record; Spain $8.7m from 398 for new February and 18+ marks; and Poland $4.7m.

Fifty Shades Of Grey tore through Latin America, grossing $8.3m in Brazil from 550 for a studio and 16+ record, $8.1m in Mexico from 667 for Universal’s third best debut and a record C (R-rated) opening, and $3.5m in Argentina from 162 for a new industry high-water mark.

Australia generated $8m from 277 for record February, MA or R and non-holiday Universal debuts, while the Philippines delivered $2.2m from 85 for R-18 and February non-local marks. New Zealand produced $1.1m from 90 for a record February and R-rated debut.

There are five more territories to go including Trinidad this week, South Korea on February 26, the UAE and other Middle East markets on March 5 and India, where the date has not been finalised.

The Theory Of Everything grossed $3.4m in 41 territories for $65.3m and has reached $28.8m in the UK after seven weeks. The film is expected to cross $100m worldwide this week and stands at $98.5m.

Unbroken has reached $44.9m with seven territories to go, while Legendary’s Seventh Son has amassed $58.7m, climbing to $84.2m including China via Legendary East.

The Boy Next Door stands at an early $2.9m while Legendary’s cyberthriller Blackhat has reached $9.1m with the UK debut set for February 20.

ASIA UPDATE

UPDATED: Xu Jinglei’s Chinese romance Somewhere Only We Know, which Hong Kong’s Distribution Workshop sells internationally, grosed $30m in China where it has reached $43m.

Lionsgate International’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 has grossed $35.4m from its first eight days in China heading into Chinese New Year and has already overtaken the entire runs of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, which each finished on approximately $28m.

South Korea’s Detective K: The Laborer’s Daughter grossed $6.2 via Showbox to reach $7m.

FOX INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: Kingsman: The Secret Service brought in $23m from 39 markets day-and-date with the solid $41.8m number two four-day North American debut as the early running total stepped up to $43.7m.

The spy caper scored a $5.4m debut in South Korea on 635 screens and a number two $3.6m debut in Russia on 1,770. Australia and the UK added $2.4m for $7.1m after two sessions and $2.5m for $16.7m after three, respectively.

There were number one debuts in Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE.

Taken 3 grossed $6.8m from 64 markets for $192.4m and opened in third place in Italy on $993,000 from 266. Mexico added $1m from 787 for $9.2m after three weekends. Exodus: Gods And Kings stands at $202.4m.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb took $5.8m from 40 markets to reach $222.4m, while DreamWorks Animations’ Penguins Of Madagascar climbed by $4.2m from 43 to $267.2m. Birdman added $2.6m from 46 markets for $35.7m and added $817,000 in its second weekend in Italy to reach $2.1m.

WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: Jupiter Ascending grossed $16.1m from 65 markets to propel the early running total to $61.4m. Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis extracted a further $1.7m from Russia as the tally climbed to $7.6m after two sessions, while France produced $1.7m for $5m and the UK $1.3m for $4.5m.

Germany delivered $1.1m for $3.6m, Brazil $1m for $3.9m, Mexico ab estimated $957,000 for $3.2m and the Philippines an estimated $701,000 for $1.7m.

The sci-fi adventure arrives this week in Australia, followed by China on March 6 and Japan on March 28.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies has reached the cusp of $700m as $4m from 29 boosted the running total to $697.6m.

The film is Warner Bros’ biggest ever in China on $122.1m and has produced $79.2m in Germany, $64.2m in the UK, $45.9m in France and $30.3m in Russia.

Australia has generated $28.2m, South Korea $21.9m, Spain $20m, Brazil $19.5m and Italy $17.3m.

American Sniper used a $3.9m weekend haul from 31 markets to push the tally to $86.6m. Italy remains the top market on $22.9m, followed by the UK on $18.5m and Australia on $13.2m.

The war film has a big week ahead with debuts set for France, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Japan and opens in Germany on February 26.

Honig Im Kopf became Warner Bros’ biggest local production in Germany and added $2.6m in Germany to rank second and climb to $53.5m after eight weekends.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water grossed $13.5m from 29 territories and has amassed $46.3m so far. The family sequel arrived in four new territories led by a number two $3.1m result in Russia from 900 venues.

Brazil was the top holdover as $2.6m from 469 propelled the tally to $8.5m after two weekends, while Mexico generated $1.6m from 600 for $13.5m after three. Spain took $1.1m from 298 for $3.4m after two.

This week sees new debuts scheduled for France, South Korea, Germany and Italy. The UK and Australia open on March 27 and April 2.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

Big Hero 6 crossed $300m as the weekend’s $9.2m from 32 territories boosted the running total to $301.8m. The animation arrived in France on $3.1m including previews and is now open everywhere except China, where it is set to debut on February 28.

Latest grosses put Japan on $70.4m, Russia $20.2m, South Korea $17.9m, Australia $17.2m, Mexico $17m and the UK $14m.

LIONSGATE INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 crossed $750m at the global box office as $5.5m from international markets pushed the running total to $414.9m and the worldwide haul to $751.2m. As mentioned earlier in this report, China has generated $35.4m as of Tuesday. The final release is Japan on June 5.

Mortdecai earned $1.6m from 45 territories for $19.6m and opens this week in South Korea, Italy and the Netherlands.

STUDIOCANAL UK

Shaun The Sheep Movie took $2.5m for $5.6m, while superstar Paddington has reached $55.6m in the UK, $157m internationally and $219.3m worldwide including North America. The Imitation Game stands at $24.8m.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL

The Interview grossed $1.6m from 13 territories as the running total reached $5.2m. The controversial comedy opened in fifth place in Australia on $470,000 from 193 screens and stands at $1.5m in Germany, $760,000 in the UK and $730,000 in Spain.

The final market of the limited release is New Zealand this week.

Annie added $1.5m from 28 for $40.4m, of which $34.8m comes from Sony and the $5.6m balance via Village Roadshow.

The family film opened in Brazil on $85,000 from 86 and has amassed $9m in Japan and $2.4m in Spain.