Inception reaches quarter-billion overseas on $48m hold

Fresh results issued on Monday [9] by Warner Bros Pictures International confirmed that after four weeks in release Christopher Nolan’s 2010 blockbuster has reached $251.2m overseas. The film stands at $227.7m in second place in North America for a $478.9m worldwide tally.

The prospect of Leonardo DiCaprio in one of the most talked about films of the year reaped rewards in Spain, where the film opened top on $4.5m from 491 nationwide screens. Inception opened second in Brazil on $2m from 312.

A further $3.6m for third place in the UK saw the running total surge to $39.2m after four weekends, while $2.4m from the third session in Japan leaves Inception on $23.7m in fourth place. It added $4.2m in the third weekend in France for $21.3m for first place and $4.1m in South Korea for $22m and first place.

In two more impressive number one holds, Inception added $5.4m in the second weekend in Germany for a $16.2m running total and $3.8m in the third weekend in Australia for $19.9m. Russia generated $1.8m for $17.5m after three and Mexico produced $1.3m for $5m, also after three weekends.

Cats And Dogs 2 grossed $6.6m from approximately 2,245 screens in 16 markets for an early $10.8m tally. The family title opened in the UK on $2.5m including previews from 486 venues. France delivered $1.2m including previews from 467. Russia generated a further $1.2m from 688 screens nationwide for $4.5m after two weekends. The film arrives next weekend in Germany and Mexico.

• Toy Story 3 may no longer rule the waves but it remains the biggest active international release and is now the third biggest animation ever behind Ice Age 3 on $688.2m and Finding Nemo on $528.2m. It will overtake Finding Nemo within a week or two and is a day away from crossing $500m after adding $29.4m over the weekend.

The latest haul from 7,928 screens in 49 territories brought the running total to $498.7m and the film is on the cusp of $900m worldwide. It opened in South Korea on $4.8m (KRW 5.7bn) from 155 in a new Disney record that comfortably beat the old KRW 2.2bn mark set by Up.

Toy Story 3 has become the biggest animation release of all time in the UK as it added $7.7m from 870 for $78m. The £50.2m local figure overtook the previous best set by Shrek 2 on £48.2m.

The animation stayed top in Japan for the fifth consecutive weekend on $5.4m for $77.5m (¥6.6bn) to rank as the third biggest US animated title behind Finding Nemo on (¥11bn and Monsters, Inc on ¥9.4bn. The fourth weekend in France brought a further $3m from 749 screens for $28m.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice added $5.9m from 3,244 screens for $54.2m from 34 territories. The family adventure stayed top for the second weekend in Mexico on $1.6m for $5.6m and has grossed $13.1m in Russia.

• Sony Pictures Releasing International’s Angelina Jolie spy thriller Salt grossed $16.9m from 3,517 in 39 territories and has already reached $62.8m. It opened in Mexico in third place on $1.4m from 461 and launched top in Singapore on $1.2m from 56.

Salt added $3.2m from 480 in South Korea for $13.7m in the second weekend, while $2.4m in Japan from 326 raised the tally to $10.6m after two. In two other notable second weekend performances, Salt added $1.7 from 704 in Russia for $8.8m and $1.4m from 251 in Brazil for $4.7m.

Jolie’s deep appeal in Asian markets was further exemplified by the running totals in the Philippines and Malaysia, which have geneated $2.2m and $2m after two weekends, respectively. Indonesia has produced $1.8m after the same period of time.

Sony’s comedy Grown Ups added $12.7m from 2,300 in 30 territories for $33.5m. It opened in second place in Germany on $5m from 452 for Adam Sandler’s biggest ever launch there. The film launched top in Russia on $2m from 432. Spain delivered $1.1m from 327 for $4.4m after two weekends, while Austria generated $1m from 88 in another number one launch that also drew a presonal best for Sandler.

• Step Up 3-D opened in 11 territories day-and-date with a number three launch in North America, grossing $12.3m from 1,606 venues in Universal and Summit territories. Disney also holds select markets.

The weekend’s Universal highlights brought $3m from Australia, $3.2m from the UK, $2,2m from South Korea, $935,000 from Poland, $863,000 from the Netherlands and $312,000 from New Zealand. Universal territories generated $6.5m overall.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is still going strong and grossed $5.1m from 68 for $372.8m.

Fox International’s Knight And Day added $11.3m from 4,459 in 47 for $127.7m, the distributor confirmed on Monday [9]. The action comedy opened in second place in the UK on $3.7m from 431 and added $2.8m in France from 612 for second place and $7.9m after two weekends. Germany has generated $7.7m after three.

The A-Team added $2.8m from 950 in six territories for a $75.4m running total. A further $2.1m in the UK from 451 locations raised the tally there to $10.3m. Marmaduke stands at $29.5m and Predators has reached $59.2m after adding $2.9m from 1,50 in 48 territories.

• The Last Airbender grossed $10.2m through PPI from 2,519 locations in 25 territories, bringing M Night Shyamalan’s action release to $53m. It opened in eight markets this weekend and became only the fourth release of the summer to open in Spain on more than €2m according to PPI, posting an excellent $3m from 558 locations. It opened top in Malaysia on $1.2m from 77 sites.

Shrek Forever After keeps on going and added $10m from 5,472 venues in 57 territories for $426.7m. The largest contributions came from Brazil, France, and Mexico, where $1.2m from 761 brought the tally to $36m, $1.1m from 704 resulted in $26.3m, and $1m from 419 locations raised the running total to $37.9m, respectively.

How to Train Your Dragon opened in Japan on $1.3m from 295 locations and the film stands at $266m overall.

Universal’s Despicable Me added $9.8m from 2,170 sites in 24 territories for an early $43.5m international cumulative total. The film, which has crossed $200m in North America, opened in Brazil on $3.2m from 278 dates for Universal’s biggest opening weekend and the industry’s eight biggest animated launch.

There were strong debuts also in Hong Kong on $415,000 from 32, India on $205,000 from 79 dates and Israel on $180,000 from 30. Mexico held firm in top place in its second week as $3m from 540 raised the score to $10.3m.  

German family comedy Hanni Und Nanni, which Universal is distributing through its agreement with UFA, has grossed $5.3m in Germany and Austria. Get Him To The Greek stands at $22.3m.