Hobbit finale crosses $400m at int'l BO

WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: The fantasy epic from Peter Jackson brought in a further $89m over the December holiday weekend from 62 markets as the international running total climbed to $405.1m.

The Battle Of The Five Armies opened top in Australia on $9.9m from 605 screens to score the biggest three-day debut of the franchise and secure 53% of the top five market share.

It opened top in Poland on a mighty $5.6m from 699 including previews.

Germany led holdover business with $11.5m from 1,445 for $56.1m after three sessions to become the biggest release of the year, while France generated $6.5m from 884 for $35.5m to rank number two behind a local comedy after three weekends.

The UK produced a $6.6m number one hold from 1,232 for $44.9m after three sessions, while a further $5.5m from 621 South Korea screens elevated the haul after two weekends to $18.3m.

Italy generated $5.1m from 647 for $13.1m after two sessions and second place behind a local comedy. The Battle Of The Five Armies ranks number one in Finland, Norway and Denmark as $4.6m from Scandinavia boosted the regional haul to $32.2m.

The fantasy ranks top in Spain on $3.6m from 672 for $13.2m after two and added $2.3m in its third session in Mexico from 1,012 for $14m.

In a handful of other results from the third weekend, Russia produced a $2.4m gross from 1,801 for $25.2m to rank second behind local debut Yolki 1914; Brazil delivered $1.8m from 664 for $16.1m and Japan generated $769,000 from 642 for $7.9m.

The Battle Of The Five Armies opens in Argentina this week and lands in China on January 23.

Imax screens added $13.4m worldwide from December 25-28 for $48m, of which $5.4m came from 228 international screens for a new four-day Christmas holiday weekend record that overhauled the $4.83m previously held by Avatar and raised the tally to $23m.

The Battle Of The Five Armies also set a $1.02m Christmas Day record that beat Avatar’s $942,000.

Interstellar grossed $3.9m from 50 for $470.7m. Horrible Bosses 2 added $3.6m from 46 for $42.3m.

FOX INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: Exodus: Gods And Kings grossed a confirmed $30.9m from 39 markets as the early running total surged to $97.1m. The adventure opened top in Brazil on $6.7m from 901, a thunderous result that delivered the second biggest Fox debut in history and Ridley Scott’s biggest debut.

France produced a $5.4m number three debut on 587, the UK $4.1m from 776 for number two and Germany $3.6m from 597 for number three. Mexico added $1.2m for $11.3m after four sessions.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb earned $31.2m from 40 to stand at $49.6m after two sessions with 11 of the top 16 markets yet to open.

Mexico returned a $5.9m number one debut from 2,061 for a record Ben Stiller opening, while Malaysia delivered a remarkable $3.1m from 352 for the biggest ever launch of a Fox film that has already grossed more than the entire run of the first two episodes combined.

The comedy arrived in Australia in third place on $2.8m from 269 and added $2.5m in the UK for $8.5m after two sessions. The Spanish debut yielded $1.7m from 401 for fourth place, while there were number one debuts in Taiwan on $1.7m and Thailand on $961,000.

Dreamworks Animation’s Penguins Of Madagascar took $16.5m from 32 markets to boost the tally to $161.3m. Mexico led the way on $4.6m for $11.5m and France on $3.2m for $9.1m – both after two weekends.

The UK has produced $8.7m after four, while after five sessions Germany has delivered $11.6m, Italy $10m and Spain $4.8m.

Norway debuted on $850,000 from 200 for number two, Sweden $799,000 from 246 for number five and Finland $599,000 from 188 for number two.

Gone Girl added $4.3m from six markets to stand at  $191.1m and climbed 188% in its second session in Italy on $3.4m for $4.9m. Japan has delivered $5.8m after three.

CHINA UPDATE

Bona Film Group’s 3D 1940’s-set spy taleThe Taking Of Tiger Mountain from Tsui Hark grossed $25m to climb to $41m. Distribution Workshop handles international sales. Gone With The Bullets added $5.5m for $61.5m.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

Big Hero 6 grossed $24.7m from 51 territories to reach a relatively early $120.9m and opened in Brazil on $4.5m and Australia in second place on $3.2m. The global haul stands at $320.8m.

Russia has generated $20.2m, Japan $17.2m, Mexico $16.4m, Malaysia $6m, Italy $5.8m, Spain $5m, Philippines $4.4m, Argentina $4.1m and Singapore $3.9m.

Coming up are Germany and South Korea on January 22, the UK on January 30, France on February 11 and China on March 1.

Into The Woods opened in its first six and scored $2.7m, led by South Korea on $1.9m and Russia on $600,000. The musical arrives this week in South Africa and Portugal among others, followed by Australia on January 8, the UK on January 9, Spain on January 23 and France on January 28.

BOLLYWOOD UPDATE

Amir Khan fantasy-comedy P.K. generated a further $14.3m to reach $61.5m.

SOUTH KOREA UPDATE

CJ entertainment’s International Market grossed $14m for $25m and My Love, Don’t Cross That River added $5.5m for $18.5m.

STUDIOCANAL

Paddington consolidated its status as the biggest StudioCanal release ever in the UK, adding an estimated $4m (£2.6m) to rank third and reach $37.2m (£24m).

According to the distributor the film has broken into the top 10 highest grossing films of the year.

Overall Paddington grossed $12m from international markets as the tally climbed to an even $75m.

The Imitation Game grossed $400,000 (£260,000) for $21.1m (£13.6m) and is approaching the $22.1m (£14.2m) final gross of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE: Angelina Jolie’s wartime biopic Unbroken starring Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson and Takamasa Ishihara also debuted in Spain and the UK for a combined $2.7m from 763 venues. 

It opened in Spain on $1.6m from 317 in fourth place and the UK on $1m from 437 for seventh.

Unbroken, which flew into North America in second place over the holiday weekend, will roll out internationally over the next few months. 

Russell Crowe’s feature directorial debut The Water Diviner debuted through Universal in Australia in fourth place on $2.9m from 252 locations for the biggest debut for an Australian film in 2014. It grossed $173,000 including previews in New Zealand from 82 sites.

Universal holds distribution rights for 11 territories and Mister Smith licensed the majority of the world.

Dumb And Dumber To, which Universal is distributing in seven territories, added $1.7m from five for $15m.

The Theory Of Everything grossed $1.5m in eight territories for an early $4.5m. The drama starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones arrives in the UK this week.

Seventh Son took $1.2m from 10 to reach $2.7m.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL

Annie grossed $5.9m from 21 territories to reach an early $8.2m, of which $5.6m comes from SPRI and the $2.6m balance from Village Roadshow.

The UK led 12 new debuts on $3.6m including previews from 380 screens to rank third. Australia generated $700,000 from Village Roadshow for $2.3m after two sessions.