Inception soars past $300m overseas for Warner Bros

Christopher Nolan’s dark sci-fi tale Inception soared past $300m as it took a further $35.9m through Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI) and nearly 4.5m admissions from 7,400 screens in 62 markets to boost the tally to $315.4m according to results issued by the studio on Monday morning [16].

In its second weekend in Spain it held at number one after a 35% drop to $2.9m from 498 for $10.5m. There were several other notable number one holds coming from Germany in the third weekend on $4.1m for $22.7m, and Australia on $2.9m for $24.3m after four.

Despite a packed schedule of new releases in Brazil that saw debuts for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and The Expendables, Inception finished second on $1.6m from 290 for $4.5m after a 26% slide. It ranked fourth in the UK and added $2.7m in its fifth weekend for $44.8m, and ranked fourth on $2.4m in Japan for $30.7m after four.

In other fourth weekend holds, the film took $2.9m in South Korea for second place and has grossed $26.4m, while $3.9m in France was good enough for second place and raised the tally to $26.6m. Russia has generated $19.5m and Mexico $6.7m.

WBPI’s Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore earned a further $8.2m and 1.2m admissions from approximately 4,107 screens in 32 territories to reach $22.7m. The family film launched second in Mexico on $1.2m from 712 screens and opened in Germany on $1.3m from 241 including previews.

It also opened top in Colombia and Peru on $480,000 from 150 and $429,000 from 22, respectively. Cats And Dogs 2 added $801,000 from 493 in the UK its second weekend for $5.2m and $646,000 from 460 in its second weekend in France for $2.4m.

• The remarkable run by Toy Story 3 showed little signs of abating as the film added $22.7m from 7,773 theatres in 50 territories for the weekend for $539.3m. Studded into this result was the biggest animated debut in Thailand on $1.1m.

Toy Story 3 overtook Finding Nemo’s $528.2m mark and now ranks comfortably as the second biggest animated release in history behind Ice Age 3’s seemingly unassailable $688.7m through Fox International. Toy Story 3 is Disney’s number one animated release overseas and the company’s fourth biggest worldwide release. It is the biggest worldwide animated release in history and the ninth biggest global release in history.

It is now the twentieth biggest film released in the international marketplace and will overtake The Da Vinci Code on Monday [16] to rank nineteenth. The global tally stands at $940.1m including $400.8m in North America.

Toy Story 3 has been a juggernaut in its biggest market of Japan and edged closer to $100m at the weekend. It stayed top for the sixth consecutive weekend during the Obon holiday on $6.1m (¥522m) from 513 theatres for $95.8m (¥8.3bn). It ranks behind Monsters, Inc (¥9.4bn) and Finding Nemo (¥11bn) as the third biggest US animation in the territory.

The Disney/Pixar creation became the biggest animated release and the top release of a Disney biggest production in the UK as $5.1m from 675 in the fourth weekend boosted the running total to $91.5m. It currently ranks as the seventh biggest release ever in the UK.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice added $15m from 3,225 theatres in 41 territories for $72.5m and was buoyed by launches in the UK, Brazil, French-speaking Europe, Japan and Panama.

The family adventure opened top in France on $4.7m from 435 and arrived in Japan on $3.4m from 354. The UK generated $2m from 475 while Brazil delivered $1.2m from 225. The film will open in Italy next weekend and has reached a global haul of $132m.

• Universal/Summit International’s Step Up 3D grossed $13.2m from 2,452 sites in 20 territories for $32m. Approximately $9.5m of this came from Summit International’s overseas partners. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse added $3.1m from 3,262 screens in 57 markets to stand at $380.6m.

• Sony Pictures Releasing International reported a $9.5m weekend for Salt from 2,900 screens in 48 markets as the action thriller climbed to $83.2m. Japan is the biggest market and generated a further $1.9m from 326 in its third weekend for $16.7m. South Korea produced $1.5m from 441 for $16.3m after three.

Grown Ups grossed $9.2m from 2,467 in 37 markets to boost the running total to $49.6m. The comedy added $3.7m in Germany from 473 in its second weekend for $10.7m and just over $1m in Russia for $4.8m, also after two. Spain has generated $5.9m after three and Mexico $6.2m after four.

The Karate Kid crossed $100m overseas thanks to an $8.2m haul from 2,420 in 35 that brought the latest tally to $107m. The family film opened in Japan in third place on $3.3m from 288 and added $1.2m in the UK from 502 for $16.2m after three. Germany stands at $11.2m after four while Australia has generated the same after six.

• Paramount/PPI’s The Last Airbender grossed $9.2m from 3,338 venues in 32 territories for $69m. It opened in seven markets led by the UK on $2.6m from 761, and launched top in Argentina on $817,000 from 112 and top in Portugal on $486,000 from 59.

Shrek Forever After grossed $6m from 4,460 locations in 57 territories for $440.5m. How To Train Your Dragon held strongly in its second weekend in Japan as $1.3m from 296 venues raised the tally to $5.7m.  The 3-D animation has amassed $270.5m internationally.

• Universal/UPI’s Despicable Me grossed $7.5m from 1,725 sites in 25 markets to stand at $56.2m. The film opened top in Venezuela on $550,000 from 65 in the second biggest Universal debut behind The Mummy 3.

It stayed top in Brazil on $2.8m from 360 for $7.1m after two weekends and is already the biggest Universal release of the year in that market. Despicable Me stayed top in Mexico for the third consecutive weekend on $2.2m from 490 for $14.4m. More than 30 territories are scheduled to open over the next few months.

Step Up 3-D grossed $3.7m from 833 sites in Universal’s three markets of the UK, Australia and New Zealand, raising the early running total to $13.7m. The film added $1.5m in the UK from 550 for $7.6m after two weekends and should overtake the $8.3m lifetime gross of the first Step Up film this week. It added $2m in Australia from 230 for $5.5m after two.

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World debuted in two markets day-and-date with North America, grossing $1m from 217 sites. It opened in fourth place in Australia on $900,000 from 177 and took $130,000 from 40 in New Zealand for third place.

The Expendables opened in approximately 20 international territories through Nu Image’s international partners. Universal handled Spain as part of its distribution deal with Wide Pictures and reported a second place launch on $1.7m from 344.

Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang opened in South Korea on $660,000 from 163 and the international total stands at $62.6m. German family comedy Hanni Und Nanni, which Universal is distributing through an agreement with UFA, has grossed $5.6m, while Get Him To The Greek has amassed $22.5m.

• Fox International issued confirmed results on Monday showing that The A-Team launched in Germany on $3.3m and added $1.2m in the UK for $12.8m. The action film grossed $5.5m over the weekend for $83m.

Knight And Day added $6.8m for $140.3m overall and took $2.4m in the second weekend in the UK for $7.5m. In France a further $1.9m saw the tally climb to $10.8m.

Marmaduke opened top in Italy on $1.2m from 274 and grossed $2.2m over the weekend for $32m, while Predators added $1.3m for $61.9m.