Fox International’s Life Of Pi usurps Hobbit, crosses $300m

Life Of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, was active on 10,027 screens in 64 markets and as of Sunday [6] stood at $302m.

Russia led the way on $14.2m from 1,600 followed by a trio of mighty launches elsewhere. Australia generated $8.3m from 545 including previews, South Korea $5.3m from 392 including previews and New Zealand $1.2m from 140.

The adventure also arrived in Ukraine, Uruguay, Chile and Bolivia. Pi ranked number one in all debut territories except South Korea, where it placed second.

Germany and the UK led the holdovers. The former delivered $5m from 728 for $14.6m and second place after two weekends and the UK produced $5.4m from 931 for $28.8m and second place after three.

Elsewhere the film has amassed $15.6m in Lee’s native Taiwan after seven and ranks as Fox’s third biggest release in history, and $15.2m in India after the same period to rank as the third biggest Hollywood release ever.

As previously reported here, the film is no longer active in China where it generated $91m.

Fox International’s comedy Parental Guidance is in the early stages of release and stands at $16.2m following a $5.1m haul from 1,825 in 20. It has reached $5.5m in Australia and $5.4m in the UK, both after two.

• UPDATE: Warner Bros Pictures International reported that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey brought in a confirmed $58.6m from 13,330 screens in 64 markets to reach $562.8m internationally and $826.8m worldwide.

New Line/MGM/Warner Bros’ fantasy saga crossed the $500m mark last Thursday [3] and coaxed $6.1m out of Australia audiences in its second weekend to reach $29.7m.

Germany led the holdovers for the Middle Earth fantasy, producing $9.4m for $74m. The UK generated $6.6m for $72.4m, France $5.3m for $39.7m and Russia $6.7m for $38.1m.

The Hobbit stands at $25.9m in Spain, $21.5m in South Korea, $21m in Italy and $18.3m in Sweden, $17.3m in Mexico, $15.8m in Brazil, $15.8m in Japan, $12.8m in Holland, $11.2m in Denmark, $10.6m in Norway, $8.9m in Switzerland and $7.6m in New Zealand.

• UPDATE: In its third weekend in operation, Jack Reacher plundered a confirmed $22.4m through Paramount Pictures International (PPI) from 4,425 cinemas in 47 countries to stand at $55.6m. The Tom Cruise thriller opened in Australia on $3.2m from 211 sites and arrived in Germany on $2.9m from 489, Italy on $1.9m from 320 and Mexico on $1.3m from 453. The second weekend holdover in the UK generated $3m from 448 for $11.8m while France delivered $2.8m from 559 for $8.3m.

DreamWorks Animation’s Rise Of The Guardians grossed $9.2m from 4,430 in 535 in its eighth weekend for $181.2m. France has produced $22.6m after six, the UK $17.9m after five and Australia $12m after three.

Cirque Du Soleil is active in eight territories and opened in Spain on $2.8m from 621. Russia has generated $5.3m after two weekends and the early international tally stands at $12.1m.

• Wreck-It Ralph grossed $19.5m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International to reach a relatively early $132.7m and a worldwide running total of $311.2m.
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) reported that Working Title’sLes Misérables grossed $14.5m from 1,014 sites in 17 territories to stand at $81m.Combined with the $103.6m North American estimate – the film crossed $100m at the North American box office in a record 13 days for a musical – the global tally has reached $184.6m.

Les Misérables opened in nine markets and scored number one debuts in Portugal and UAE. It ranks as Universal’s biggest film of all time in South Korea where a further $4.3m boosted the running total to $28.9m.

It ranks as the top Hollywood release in Japan where $3.7m elevated the score to $25.2m after 17 days. Hong Kong has generated $3.1m after two weekends while stars Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe have pushed the tally in Australia up to $14.2m after two. Les Misérables stands at $6.5m in Spain after 13 days and there are 46 territories to open including the UK this week.

UPI opened Kathryn Bigelow’s awards heavyweight Zero Dark Thirty in Spain, one of a basket of rights that Universal acquired including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and South Africa.

The thriller ranked second by Sunday on $1.5m from 232 sites. It opens in France on Jan 23 followed by the UK on Jan 25 and Germany on Jan 31.

Comedy Pitch Perfect added $5m from 1,012 in 15 for $37.2m and Anna Karenina stands at $24.1m. Colpi Di Fulmine has taken $13m in Italy after 25 days.

• Lionsgate International reported that J A Bayona’s The Impossible - a huge hit in Spain through Warner Bros — added $9.4m over the weekend for $82.3m internationally and $85.7m worldwide. It has amassed $53.8m in Spain, $6.5m in the UK, $6m in Mexico, $4.4m in France and $3.2m in Brazil.
• Sony/MGM/Eon’s Skyfall crossed $725m mark thanks to a $7.4m weekend haul from 2,525 screens in 55 markets for $726.4m. The James Bond juggernaut has amassed $163.5m in the UK after 11 weekends in service, $83.3m in Germany after ten and $29.2m in Japan after six. Sony Pictures Releasing International markets have produced $637.3m while MGM markets account for $89.1m.