International Box Office - July 16 - 18

Shrek Forever After

Paramount Pictures International’s Shrek Forever After powered into top spot on the international chart in its ninth week. Thanks to a rolling release schedule, the animation has featured in the international top ten since it opened over the penultimate weekend in May, but remarkably this is Shrek’s first week at number one.

Shrek withstood the openings of Warner Bros.’ Inception and Disney ’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, taking $56.4m from 7572 screens in 44 territories over the July 16-18 weekend. While Shrek’s accumulated gross of $298m is $61m down on Shrek The Third’s equivalent total in its ninth week, the film’s resilience is impressive. Shrek out-grossed Summit’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse by $12.5m despite showing in 17 fewer territories, and is holding firm from its eighth week.

The major challenge to Shrek’s dominance will unfold in the next two weeks as Disney’s Toy Story 3 opened in UK yesterday, reaches Spain on Friday, and arrives in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on July 29.

With summer holidays for schoolkids across the globe,  Shrek Forever After, Twilight: Eclipse, Toy Story 3 and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice will all be scrapping it out.

Inception

Warner Bros.’ sci-fi-thriller Inception took $16m from 1349 screens in ten territories on its first weekend. The film’s $11,785 per print average was third highest among the international top ten. Christopher Nolan’s feature took $9m in the UK and opens in France today, Australia and Russia tomorrow and Japan on Friday.

Karigurashi No Arriety

Karigurashi No Arriety grossed $10.4m in its debut weekend at the Japanese box office, achieving a masterful screen average of $23,160. The animated version of Mary Norton’s story The Borrowers is directed by first-time filmmaker Hiromasa Yonebayashi and adapted by two-time Oscar winner Hayao Miyazaki.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice opened at number eight on the international chart after grossing $9.4m from 12 territories. After an underwhelming opening weekend at the US box office ($17.6m) Disney will be hoping to benefit from a gradual rollout, with their fantasy-adventure hitting the major European territories in August and September.