Real Steel's $22.1m punch knocks Smurfs off int'l perch

DreamWorks’ family drama-cum-sci-fi starring Hugh Jackman also launched top in North America on $27.3m, giving rise to a $49.4m worldwide opening weekend.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported that Russia led the way on $6.9m, followed by Jackman’s native Australia on $4.3m and Mexico on $2.9m. Real Steel is set to charge into the UK this week, as well as South Korea and Poland.

The Lion King 3D added $11.7m for $28.1m and stands at $6.7m in Mexico and $4.3m in the UK. DreamWorks’ The Help, still in very early days outside North America, stands at $9.6m and has taken $7.4m in Australia and $1m in New Zealand.

UPI executives enjoyed another strong weekend for Johnny English Reborn as the comedy grossed an estimated $21.3m from 3,761 sites in 32 territories. The early tally has climbed to a highly promising $61.3m and executives privately expect the comedy to finish on more than $150m outside North America.

It opened top in the UK on $7.8m from 524 and launched in first place in Germany on $3.9m from 678. There were number one debuts too in Austria, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden and German-speaking Switzerland.

UPI opened Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s The Intruders starring Clive Owen in Spain, where it was tied for first place with Johnny English Reborn on $1.6m from 375. Remaining territories will open through UPI in 2012.

The Change-Up added $1.6m from 1,178 in 28 for $19.9m and opened in Brazil on $500,000 from 140. Fast Five added $1.6m from its second weekend in Japan for $10.9m and the international tally stands at $410.6m. The Debt has reached $10.2m.

Fox International’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes opened in the number one spot in Japan as an excellent $6.2m on 624 screens was too good for the competition. Overall the film grossed $7.8m from 2,075 screens in 23 markets and the tally has reached $245m with the Chinese launch date set for Oct 28.

Anna Faris comedy What’s Your Number? opened in a dozen new markets this weekend and brought in $2.8m from 1,729 in 23 for an early $6.3m running total. The biggest of the opening markets included France with $644,000 from 208.

Mr Popper’s Penguins’ international running total is up to $118.6m, while Monte Carlo stands at $14.5m. Fox International Production’s What A Man has claimed $16.5m in Germany after seven weekends and Anytime, Anywhere has amassed $2.8m after four in India and still ranks number one.

The Smurfs added $7.3m through Sony Pictures Releasing International on 4,673 screens in 68 markets to boost the running total $393.4m.

The film didn’t have quite enough to rule the international box office for a ninth weekend but the extraordinary run was led by a $2.2m gross in Australia from 484 for second place and a $19m tally after four weekends.

The film also ranks second after four in Italy, where $1.2m from 508 pushed the score to $13.9m. It opened in Indonesia on $395,000 from 70 for an unconfirmed rank. The Smurfs has generated $27.5m in Germany after ten weekends, $26.9m in the UK after nine and $26.5m in France after ten. Spain has generated $19.3m after 11.

Friends With Benefits added $5.2m from 2,670 in 58 for $76m and ranks number one or two in Brazil – depending on the final opening result for stablemate Zookeeper – after bringing in a further $1m from 195 for $2.9m after two weekends. The UK has produced $1.1m after five.

The aforementioned Zookeeper stands at $84m and opened in Brazil in the number one or two slot on $1.1m from 223.

Lionsgate’s thriller Abduction brought in a further $5.1m as the tally climbed to $30.8m. The film opened in Italy in fourth place on $911,000.

Warner Bros Pictures International’s Crazy, Stupid, Love. added $5.1m from 2,161 screens in 48 markets for $53.2m. It added $2.2m in the second weekend in Australia for $6.5m. Latest tallies put the comedy on $5.1m in Germany and Mexico, $4.3m in the UK and $4.1m in France.

New Line’s Final Destination 5 has reached $112.1m following a $3.7m haul from 2,150 in 46. Russia is the lead market on $19.2m, followed by France, the UK and Germany on $10m, $8.9m and $7.6m, respectively.

StudioCanal opened Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark in the UK and reported a $731,461 three-day estimate. Also in its first weekend, Paddy Considine’s drama Tyrannosaur grossed $111,199, rising to $127,858 including previews.

Spy tale Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy may have been ousted by spy spoof Johnny English Reborn but the film continued to perform strongly and added $1.6m in its fourth weekend for a magnificent $17.3m running total (£11.1m.)