New Moon eclipses 2012 with heavenly $132.1m overseas launch

Furthermore, New Moon overhauled Sony’s 2012 — which by comparison is active in 107 markets — as the number one international release even though the latter added an estimated $100.5m from 13,487 screens in its second weekend – another extraordinary result from a memorable weekend that deserves to be remembered amid the tween euphoria.

Sony’s 2012 already stands at $341m overseas and $449.2m globally including the $108.2m North American tally. But the weekend belongs to New Moon, which factoring in the mighty $140.7m domestic launch now stands at $258.8m worldwide after five days. For the record, New Moon grossed $124.1m exclusidng previesw.

New Moon’s biggest overseas market was the UK on $18.7m from 850 prints in the fifth biggest three-day industry launch and the biggest three-day launch of the year-to-date. The £4.6m opening day ranks as the second biggest in history behind the £4.9m scored by Quantum Of Solace

In other notable results:

• France – $17m from 751 and 1.9m admissions in the ninth biggest launch for a US film. The opening day delivered $4.26m and 488,000 admissions;
• Spain – $13.7m from 652 including the third biggest Wednesday launch in history on $2.2m (€1.48m);
• Australia – $13.3m (15m AUD) from 466 screens over four days in the biggest launch of all time, beating the $14.33m AUD set earlier in the year by Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince. This was the third biggest opening day ever, the biggest non-holiday opening day and the third best opening day, while $1.6m (1.7m AUD) from midnight shows yielded the biggest returns since Star Wars: Episode 3’s $1.2m (1.26m AUD) in May 2005;
• Italy – $13m from 770 and the third biggest Wednesday opening on $2.7m (€1.83m) with some screens still to report;
• Mexico – $7.4m (20.2m pesos) reported so far from 838 prints;
• Brazil – $7.4m (3.7m Reals) from 605;
• Scandinavia – $6.4m;
• Russia – $6m;
• Belgium – $2.6m. The second biggest opening day in history behind Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix;
• The Philippines – $2.1m for the biggest launch of 2009 and an unconfirmed all-time opening weekend; and
• New Zealand – $1.9m (2.615m NZD) in the industry’s biggest launch, surpassing New Zealander Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings 3 on 2.609 NZD. Second biggest opening day on $672,000 (902,122 NZD) behind The Lord Of The Rings 3.

Elsewhere New Moon scored the second best launch of the year in Argentina and the tenth best industry launch on $1.6m (1.23m pesos); $1.4m in Poland; $1.2m from 96 in Greece and the third biggest opening day on $428,000 (€287,135); $1m from 73 in Holland; $767,000 from 29 in the French and Italian regions of Switzerland; and $225,000 from 15 in Croatia for the industry’s biggest three-day launch and the industry’s third biggest weekend launch overall.

Returning to Sony Pictures Releasing International’s 2012, the film opened top in Japan on an impressive $7m (¥631.5m) from 627 screens for the biggest launch of the year-to-date for a Hollywood film.

• 2012 delivered an excellent second weekend hold in China, where it stayed top and added $9.7m from 1,988 screens after a mere 20% drop for $30.5m. The disaster movie stayed top in Germany – New Moon opens there next weekend – on $8.5m from 1,007 following a 28% drop for $24m, and added $7.7m from 723 in second place in France for $28.6m, following a 57% slide that reflected New Moon’s hefty gravitational pull.
• Roland Emmerich’s global smash stayed top in South Korea on $6.5m from 707 for $20.2m, slipped to number two in the UK on $5.8m from 881 for $21.3m, and ranked second in Russia as $5.5m from 840 raised the tally to $27m.
• The film added $4.3m from 587 in Spain for $14.6m and second place, $3.9m from 551 in Brazil for $11.5m and second place, $3.8m from 572 in Italy for $14.7m and second, $3.3m from 405 in Australia for $10.8m and second, $2.9m from 780 in Mexico for $11.8m and second, and $2m from 720 in India for $17.3m and second place.

This Is It added $5.8m from 3,490 in 75 markets and stands at $168.5m. The Japan running total is $39.7m after four weekends.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International’s A Christmas Carol added $18.5m from 4,434 screens in 41 territories for $60m. The family tale launched in Russia on $3.5m from 350 screens and added $3.3m from 420 in the UK for $13.9m after three weekends. Spain and Japan have produced $4.7m after two and $7.3m after two, respectively.

Up added $3m from 3,015 in 25 for $379.4m with a $400m-plus final tally looking likely once the Pixar film opens in Japan on December 5. G-Force stands at $159.1m and Surrogates has grossed $69.2m.

Universal/UPI’s Couples Retreat added $2.5m from 1,000 sites in 23 for an early $37.7m. Inglourious Basterds added $2.2m from 1,300 in 30 for $190.6m and launched in Japan in fourth on $1.6m from 315. Public Enemies stands at $107.7m and A Serious Man launched in the UK in ninth on $525,000 from 50 venues.

For Fox International, Amelia added $963,011 from 15 markets for a $1.7m running total, while Fantastic Mr Fox stands at $13.3m from the UK. 500 Days Of Summer stands at $22.9m and is winding down its international run.

Saw VI added $800,000 through Mandate International on 1,200 screens in 30 territories and stands at $25.8m.

The Final Destination has reached $119.4m through Warner Bros Pictures International and New Line International’s network of distributors. The horror film stands at $20.9m in the UK, $13.9m in a final gross for Russia, $12.4m in Germany, and a final score of $12m in France.