Fox / Blue Sky's Rio in a league of its own on $56m hold

Meanwhile The Weinstein Company reported a very promising $18m debut for Scream 4. The latest entry in the horror spoof franchise went out on 3,100 sites in 30 territories day-and-date with North America.

Returning to Rio, where a confirmed $56.3m from 13,754 in 63 markets underscored the allure of this latest collaboration between Fox and Blue Sky Studios. Leading the weekend charge were a smattering of number one debuts and numerous holds.

Rio opened top in France on $4.4m from 781 and debuted in Italy on $2.6m from 673. It scored Venezuela’s all-time biggest industry launch on $1.5m from 117 and delivered notable number one debuts in Belgium on $944,748 from 141 and Finland on $322,103 from 109.

Suitably enough Brazil was the strongest of the holdover markets in the second weekend, generating $7.5m from 997 for $18.9m and number one. Elsewhere the film brought in $5.7m in Russia from 1,297 for $18.9m, $3.9m in Mexico from 1,553 for $11m and number one, $3.2m in Australia from 466 for $7.8m and $2.7m from the UK on 1,100 for $8.9m and number two. Germany has delivered $5.6m and the film ranks number one there.

Gulliver’s Travels opened in its final international market of Japan where it took $3.4m from 618 as the top ranking Hollywood release. The international running total stands at $180m. Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules opened in Australia on $2.1m from 244 and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son stands at $42.6m.

• Scream 4 was the number one release in the UK on $3.5m from 410 and opened in France on $3.5m from 440. It opened on $2.5m in Russia from 700 sites, $1.9m in Australia from 154 and also debuted in Brazil on $1.4m from 207 sites.

The film opens in Spain on Apr 20 and in Germany on May 5. South Korea will follow in June and Japan later in the year.

• Hop brought in less than estimated as the weekend tally amounted to $8.4m according to Universal / UPI. The film was active in 3,578 sites in 39 territories and has grossed $27.5m so far. The family animation opened in 14 territories and ranked second in Mexico on $1.8m from 489 and fourth in Spain on $750,000 from 351.

Australia is the top holdover on $2.3m from 247 for $5.6m while the UK generated $1.5m from 476 for $7.7m, also after two weekends.

Paul added $5.9m from 1,087 in 18 for $39.9m and opened in third place in Australia on $2.3m from 196 and debuted in Germany on $2.2m from 420. The Adjustment Bureau added $1.3m from 784 in 34 for $50.6m and The Eagle from Focus Features has produced $5.9m from Universal markets.

C’e Chi Dice No, which Universal is releasing in Italy, added $590,911 in the second weekend from 280 for $1.8m. Universal is handling VIPs in Brazil through its agreement with O2 and the film held strong in fourth place on $288,213 from 97 for $3.1m after four weekends.

Fast Five kicks off its international release later this week in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. 

• Sucker Punch brought in a confirmed $7.8m through Warner Bros Pictures International on 6,870 screens in 54 markets as the running total climbed to $43m. It opened in second place in China on $3.1m from 2,570 and after three weekends stands at $4.4m in France, $3.8m in Russia, $3.7m in Germany and $3.4m in the UK.

Red Riding Hood added $4.2m from 1,420 in 23 for $22.2m and has opened in the UK on $1.4m and debuted in Spain on $1.3m in second place. It has reached $4.2m in Russia and $2.2m in South Korea, both after four weekends, and $4.6m in Australia after three. The Rite stands at $61.2m.

• Sony Pictures Releasing International’s Just Go With It added a confirmed $5.5m from 2,145 screens in 63 markets for $96.7m and scored several solid debuts in Latin America. The rom-com grossed $1.2m in Australia from 288 for $6.9m after three weekends and stands at $12.4m in Russia after four. Highlights include Germany on $11.8m after eight and Brazil on $11.2m after seven.

Battle: LA took in a further $4.1m from 1,762 screens in 54 for $110.1m and the weekend was led by a $1.6m German debut from 378 that ranked third and an excellent number one launch in Thailand on $1.1m from 82. The action release climbed for the second consecutive weekend in Mexico, adding $275,000 from 195 for $3.5m after six weekends.

• Summit International reported that Source Code opened in Spain on $800,000 from 304 and held well in the UK on $1.1m from 412 for $7.3m after three weekends as the action thriller added $3.5m from 1,660 screens in 22 markets. The international running total stands at $18.6m.
• Justin Bieber: Never Say Never grossed $2.1m according to confirmed results from Paramount / PPI from 1,032 sites in 27 countries for $22m. The Canadian pop icon arrived in a further seven territories, including Spain where it took $687,000 from 263.

Rango added $1.6m from 2,290 in 43 for $115.5m and the biggest contribution came from a solid holdover in France on $733,000 from 631 for $9.2m.

Romantic comedy No Strings Attached grossed $829,852 from 655 in 27 countries for $73.7m and in its fourth session in the UK Limitless added $978,981 from 408 for $11.4m.