Chinese titles were in typically robust form over the Chinese New Year holiday as The Wandering Earth earned $172.7m and Crazy Alien delivered $77.7m to obliterate the Hollywood competition at the global and international box office.
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World was the top Hollywood film of the session, while Bohemian Rhapsody became the first Fox release since Avatar to cross $100m in Japan, and Ralph Breaks The Internet is a week or so away from crossing $500m worldwide. Oscar nominee Green Book crossed $100m worldwide.
CHINA UPDATE
Frant Gwo’s sci-fi The Wandering Earth stands at $289.1m and stars Wu Jing, Qu Chuxiao in the story of a mission to relocate earth to a new star system after the Sun dies, forcing humanity underground. Comedy Crazy Alien has reached an early $213.6m and stars Huang Bo and Shen Teng as brothers who hope to cash in on an alien arrival. It marks the third film in director Ning Hao’s Crazy series and his first film for a Chinese New Year release.
Pegasus added $52.4m for $150.6m and also stars Shen, this time as a former racing champion turned fried rice stall manager hoping to return to the sport. Director Han Han’s last film Duckweed opened during 2017 Chinese New Year.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World brought in a further $38.2m from 46 territories to boost the global tally to $138.7m as the DreamWorks Animation release prepares to take off in North America on February 22. The family feature opened at number one in Germany on $6.92m for the biggest February launch of all time, and scored $6.86m in France for the second biggest February debut behind Zootopia.
The Hidden World delivered the highest debut of all time for an animation in Vietnam, where it took advantage of the New Year holidays to earn $2.5m, which included the biggest opening day for a DreamWorks Animation release and the fourth biggest opening day for an animation.
In the second weekend, the UK was the top holdover on $3.5m for $11.8m, followed by Mexico on $3.5m for $14.9m, Italy on $1.9m for $6.2m, South Korea on $1.7m for $8.9m, and Taiwan $1.1m for $3.6m. Brazil has generated $12.5m Malaysia $3.8m, Chile $3m, Singapore $2.3m, Hong Kong and Peru $1.9m apiece, and Argentina $1.8m.
Mary Queen Of Scots added $2m from 36 for $21.4m, and $37.9m worldwide. The drama debuted in Spain in fifth place on $499,000, and has amassed $10.1m in the UK after four weekends.
FOX INTERNATIONAL
The animated action sci-fi Alita: Battle Angel earned $32m from its first 11 international markets ahead of the launch in North America later this week. South Korea led the charge on $10.9m followed by Taiwan on $4.8m for Fox’s fourth biggest opening, the UK on $4.2m, and Malaysia on $2.9m for Fox’s second biggest debut.
Hong Kong delivered $2.8m for the studio’s fifth biggest opening ever, and Indonesia $2.5m for its seventh biggest. Alita gets a huge push this week when it launches in 74 markets day-and-date with North America, and debuts in China and Japan on February 22.
Bohemian Rhapsody has become the first Fox release since Avatar to cross $100m in Japan as it added $1.3 for $101.2m in the 14th weekend. Overall it added $5m from 39 for $633.7m, ranking now as Fox’s seventh highest release at the worldwide box office on $844.4m, and Fox International’s fifth highest earner behind Avatar, Titanic, Ice Age 3 and Ice Age 4.
The Favourite, a big winner at the Baftas on Sunday, grossed $4.1m from 41 markets for $39.1m. It opened in France at number six on $915,000, and added $300,000 in the UK for $18.5m after six sessions.
WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part complemented the number one North American debut with an $18.1m international opening salvo in in 63 markets. Highlights were a $5.2m number one UK debut that came in some 8% ahead of Lego Ninjago’s debut, and $1.7m in Russia for top spot.
Poland delivered $1.3m for third place and the biggest Warner Animation Group debut in history, $1.1m in Germany in fifth place, $830,000 in Spain for third, $707,000 in Brazil for fourth, $622,000 in Holland for third, and $500,000 in South Korea. The animation opens in Mexico this week.
The Mule generated $6.3m from 51 markets to bring the tally up to $32.7m, and $135.3m worldwide. Clint Eastwood’s drug courier drama opened at number one in Italy on $2.3m, and added $1.9m in France to rank fourth and reach $10.4m after three weekends. Aquaman added $6m from 76 for $791.9m, and $1.12bn worldwide. The superhero smash opened in Japan at number one on $3.7m. Creed II used a $3.4m weekend from 39 to reach $92m, and $207.6m worldwide.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
Comedy Instant Family generated a $2.6m haul from 24 markets to reach $32.1m, while Bumblebee has reached $332.2m.
SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL
Horror-thriller Escape Room has climbed to $108.2m worldwide, with international markets contributing $53.5m to the pot after a $6.9m session in 44 markets. It debuted in Russia in second place on $1.5m, Mexico on $1m, Australia $940,000 for number one, and Brazil $825,000.
A Dog’s Way Home stands at $18.4m, while local language French crime caper Nicky Larson And Cupid’s Perfume (Nicky Larson: Le Parfum De Cupidon) launched on $3.6m including previews.
Philippe Lancheau of Babysitter fame directed the Japanese manga adaptation from the City Hunter series. Under The Same Roof (Bajo El Mismo Techo) added $1m in Spain for a $2.6m running total.
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
Glass grossed $6.6m from 51 material territories to reach $123m, and $221.5m worldwide. The lead market is currently the UK on $12.6m, followed by Russia and Mexico on $10.5m apiece, France on $8.9m, and Germany on $8m.
Ralph Breaks The Internet is a week or so away from crossing $500m worldwide and $300m internationally. The animation added $4.6m from 30 to stand at $296.6m, and $494.2m worldwide. The lead market is China on $39m. Mary Poppins Returns grossed $2.5m from 23 territories to reach $166m, and $336.7m worldwide. The UK is the lead market on $55.1m.
LIONSGATE / AMBLIN
Participant Media’s Oscar nominee Green Book crossed $100m worldwide as a combined $13m international haul pushed the tally to $46.5m, of which $26m comes from Lionsgate International, and $20.5m from Amblin territories. The worldwide total stands at $107.9m, including $61.4m via Universal in North America. The lead markets outside North America are France on $5.4m, the UK on $4.7m, Australia on $4.3m, and Italy on $4.2m.
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