Powered by the might of Interstellar and the ongoing heroics of the Hobbit finale, Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI) achieved a company record $3.17bn in 2014 to become the first studio to cross the $3bn threshold twice.

The year’s combined international gross gained 1% on 2013’s $3.14bn and marked the seventh time WBPI has exceeded $2bn after previously doing so in 2004, 2007 and every year since 2010.

International ticket revenues in 2014 marked the 14th time WBPI has exceeded $1bn at the international box office and the $3.17bn gross delivered a 19% improvement on 2012’s $2.67bn and a 10% climb on 2011’s $2.87bn.

Interstellar (pictured) led the way on $472m and is in the final throes of release. The sci-fi has become Christopher Nolan’s biggest release ever in more than ten territories including Russia and China, where it amassed $122.6m (RMB 751m) to become the biggest Hollywood 2D release. It achieved the same distinction in South Korea en route to $74m (KRW 80.9bn).

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies remains a potent force and has amassed $446m from the first few weekends. It was the top grossing film of the year in Germany, among others the studio is expected to confirm this week.

Godzilla grossed $328m, while Edge Of Tomorrow produced $269m and ranks as the number one Tom Cruise release of all time in Russia on $21.5m (Rb 746.6m).

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug took $251m from the 2014 portion of its $702m final tally while 300: Rise Of An Empire grossed $231m.

The Lego Movie generated $211m and ranked as the UK’s top film of the year on $56m (£34m).

Annabelle generated $171m and became the third highest grosing international horror release in history behind The Exorcist and The Conjuring, as well as the biggest horror title in Latin America, where it amassed $65.5m. Into The Storm grossed $113m in 2014.

Local language titles amassed more than $153m in 2014. See separate story.

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