Alice rules overseas on $46m but feels Dragon's heat

Tim Burton’s glittering creation held on to its international crown despite an excellent launch for How To Train Your Dragon through PPI that resulted in $31m from 5,594 locations in 35 territories, or the equivalent of 62% of the international marketplace. Its international running total stands at $42m.

• Returning to Alice, the film played in 7,170 theatres in 51 territories in its fourth weekend through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI). Executives estimated $71% of the total amount or $257.7m was attributable to 3D.

Combined with the $293m North American haul the $656.1m global tally positions Alice as Disney’s seventh biggest release of all time. It will overtake Pirates Of The Caribbean’s $658m mark on Monday to claim sixth place. Alice ranks as Disney’s ninth biggest international hit and should overtake The Incredibles’ $372m by mid-week.

Weekend business was propelled by solid holds and a mighty launch in France that generated $14.9m from 746 theatres for Disney’s third biggest launch that easily delivered a career best for Tim Burton. China also yielded rewards as Alice opened on $5.1m from 450 in a new company record for Disney.

The UK led holdover business as $3.8m from 718 ranked second behind Universal’s Nanny McPhee sequel and raised the tally to $52.6m. By next weekend Alice could supplant Charlie And The Chocolate Factory to become Burton’s biggest UK hit.

Alice added $2.1m from 576 in Russia for $39.9m and ranks as Disney’s biggest and the industry’s third biggest release there, and grossed $2m from 244 in Australia for $26.6m. A further $1.8m from 281 in Benelux for $9.7m saw the film retain top spot for the fourth consecutive weekend, while $1.8m from 360 in Italy raised the tally to $38.2m as Alice stayed top and ranks as Disney’s biggest and the industry’s third biggest ever release.

• How To Train Your Dragon’s $31m weekend was powered by impressive launches in a number of territories as the DreamWorks Animations production released through PPI opened top in tjree markets: Mexico on $2.6m from 725, Brazil on $2.4m from 333 for Paramount’s biggest launch of the year-to-date, and Spain on $2.2m from 575.

Dragon opened in Germany on $2.5m from 799, Australia on $2.4m from 354, and Italy on $1.9m from 362.

Shutter Island added $10m for $125.6m and has grossed more than $245m worldwide. Paramount’s international share accounts for $84.3m. The UK has generated $11.5m, France $22m, and South Korea $4.7m.

• Avatar continued to deliver spectacular results and added $7.6m through Fox International in its 15^th weekend from 2,600 screens in 63 territories to stand at $1.95bn. Nine territories have returned more than $100m grosses.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief grossed just under $2m for 3,409 in 42 for $133.7m, while Diary Of A Wimpy Kid opened in its first overseas market of Singapore and took $171,000 from 16.

• Warner Bros Pictures Releasing International’s The Blind Side grossed $6.7m from more than 9,600 screens in 28 markets for $22.4m and opened in the UK in third place on $2m form 369. The drama launched in Germany in third on $1.6m from 407 including previews and stands at $1.9m in Mexico after two weekends.

Sherlock Holmes stands at $305.3m following a $2.2m haul from more than 1,250 screens in 19 markets, and Valentine’s Day has reached $104.5m while Invictus stands at $87m.

• Sony Pictures Releasing International’s action comedy The Bounty Hunter grossed $6.1m from 1,705 screens in 31 markets for an early $16.8m running total. It added $1.5m from 396 in the UK for $5.9m after two weekends, and $1.4m in Russia from 445 for $5.4m also after two. Mexico delivered the biggest opener on $700,000 from 302.

The Book of Eli stands at $16.4m through SPRI and Dear John opened in its first market of Spain on $885,000 from 207.

• Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang opened through Universal/UPI in the UK on $4m from 510 sites, which was roughly 4% bigger than the original’s launch. The family sequel launched in the Netherlands in fifth place on $238,000 from 100. The remaining territories will roll out between now and the summer, led by Germany, Australia and Spain next weekend.

Green Zone added $6m from 2,100 venues in 27 territories as the running total climbed to $28.8m. The Iraq War thriller added $600,000 from 332 in its second weekend in Germany for $1.9m and has reached $7.5m in the UK after three weekends. There was an excellent $2m number one launch in South Korea where Sierra Pictures sold local territory rights.

Heartbreaker (L’Arnacoeur), a co-production between Universal and Quad, held well in its second weekend in France as $3.5m from 379 boosted the early tally to $10.7m.

It’s Complicated added $1.8m from 1,000 sites in 25 territories for $105.3m and has reached $2.9m in Italy after two weekends. Cirque Du Freak has grossed $4m in Japan after two and $20m overall, while The Wolfman stands at $75.9m internationally with four territories to go including Japan on April 22.

• Summit International’s romance Remember Me added $4m from 944 screens in 29 territories and launched in nine, among them Australia and Brazil. The early tally has reached $9.9m.