Sex sells overseas for Warner Bros during World Cup

Active on 8,000 screens in 58 markets, the comedy sequel has now grossed $131.7m and took full advantage of its female appeal during the opening weekend of the World Cup, even though the film’s box office experienced a natural drop in a third weekend comprised mostly of holdover business.

The film stayed top in four key markets led by Australia, whose national football team was in action on Sunday. An excellent $3.2m hold from 562 raised the running total to a fine $13.1m after two weekends.

Even though the England vs USA game was the main draw on Saturday night, the film added $2.2m in the UK from 548 sites for a solid $25.1m after three.

In France and Germany, Sex And The City 2 managed $2m from 526 screens for $6.6m after two and $1.8m from 990 for $17.8m after three, respectively. The film added $1.8m in the second weekend in Japan from 401 for $8.1m.

The only new release was in South Korea, another World Cup team in action at the weekend, and WBPI reported $929,000 from 201.

Clash Of The Titans stands at $326.2m following a $1.4m haul from 772 screens in 29 remaining markets.

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International’s Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time ran Sex And The City 2close, finishing the weekend on $19.7m from 10, 211 screens in 50 territories to raise the tally to $190.3m.

The adventure ranked top in its fourth weekend in Spain, whose much-fancied World Cup contenders kick off their campaign on Wednesday, earning $1.1m from 461 for $8.8m.

It ranked second in France on $1.9m from 652 theatres for $11.2m after three weekends; added $1.8m in the third weekend in China from 1,250 for $18.8m and is Disney’s third biggest release ever; $1.6m in Russia from 562 for $19.2m after three; $1.2m in Brazil from 329 for 5.2m after two; $1.1m in Mexico from 874 for $10.6m after three; and $1m in South Korea from 459 for $11.2m after three.

Alice In Wonderland consolidated its position as the fifth biggest international release in history and added $1.3m to reach $683.3m. This means it trails by $4.9m Fox’s Ice Age 3 on $688.2m. The global tally stands at $1.016bn.

• The A-Team endured a soft launch overseas that was doubtless impacted by the start of the football over the weekend. Fox International estimated the action remake of the 1980s television series grossed $14.4m from 3,924 screens in 34 markets, according to confirmed results issued on Monday [14].

Lading the way was Australia on a fine $2.9m from 324, Russia on $1.7m from 755, South Korea on $1.5m from 344, and Taiwan on $1m from 109.

The Australian and South Korean results were notable considering both countries were in action in the first round of the tournament. Mexico also played and the film produced $856,958 from 774, while Brazil generated $769,802 from 256.

The A-Team opened day-and-date with the number two North American launch and ventures into a further 14 markets next weekend including World Cup contenders France and Italy.

Fox production My Name Is Khan delivered the biggest opening for a Bollywood film in Germany as 51 screens produced $55,000. The film has amassed $38.1m internationally.

Marmaduke added $2.3m from 1,454 screens in 21 markets for an early $8.4m, and Tooth Fairy stands at $52m and is nearing the end of its run.

• Robin Hood plundered a further $7m in its fifth weekend through Universal/UPI from 7,500 sites in 60 territories, bringing the tally to a commendable $183.3m. The film opened in China and India and results are expected on Monday.

France was the leading holdover on $780,000 from 600 for $15.5m after five weekends. The UK has generated $20.8m, Spain has reached $11.2m, Australia stands at $14.7m, and Germany is on $13m.     

Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang added $1m from 1,300 in 36 territories for $58.2m, while Get Him To The Greekhas taken $1.5m in Russia. Green Zone stands at $62.m and Kick-Ass has grossed $27m from Universal territories. The industry-wide international tally is $47m.

Heartbreaker (L’Arnacœur) has taken $27.3m in France and Greenberg opened in limited release in the UK, grossing $145,000 from 64 sites.  

• The number one film in North America this weekend, the remake of The Karate Kid, opened in ten markets and grossed $6m from 800 screens through Sony Pictures Releasing International.

The family film opened in six Asian markets and pulled off five number one launches including $1.3m in Malaysia from 121 screens, $1.2m in Singapore from 52, and $1m in India from 245. It opened in fifth place in South Korea on $900,000 from 234.

The Back-Up Plan added $1.8m through SPRI for $27.6m and launched in third place in Brazil on $890,000 from 140. The industry total for the weekend was $1.9m and the cumulative tally is $30.6m.

• A $3.8m number one launch in Japan from 414 locations helped Iron Man 2 to a $5.2m weekend through Paramount/PPI from 5,260 sites in 62 territories, rising to $5.3m through all distributors for a $295m international running total. Marvel Studios’ sequel stands at $286m through PPI.

Shrek Forever Aftergrossed $4.3m from 1,713 locations in 19 territories for $74.3m. Once again the largest contribution came from Russia, where the film grossed $1.7m from 800 locations in its fourth weekend for a $48m tally.

How To Train Your Dragon grossed $2.6m from 3,202 venues in 62 territories for $258.1m. In the fourth weekend in South Korea the animated release added $1.5m from 416 for $18.8m.

• Summit International’s Letters To Juliet brought in $1.8m from 845 prints in 12 territories to bring the international tally to $7.6m.