Shrek topples Eclipse to lead overseas with $52.2m

The fourth instalment in the animated series has now amassed $292.5m and opened at number one in ten new markets. The biggest result came from Mexico on $8.4m from 824, while Belgium delivered an impressive $1.5m from 132 locations.

Shrek Forever After held well in the UK, adding $7m from 870 locations for $37.7m after three weekends. It added $5.8m in Brazil from 460 for $17.5m after two.

The film climbed 26% in Germany to $3.5m from 911 locations, raising the tally to $15m. It grossed $3.8m in France from 995 for $26.5m, and $3.3m in Spain from 742 for $12m after two. An excellent performance in the first two weekends in Argentina saw the film add $2.3m from 149 for $6.6m.

The Last Airbender grossed $6.3m from 1,338 locations in six markets for an early $20m international running total. The family saga opened in Japan on $1.3m from 252 locations and an estimated $2.1m for the three-day holiday. The film’s biggest contribution came from Russia, where it grossed $3.6m from 643 locations to bring the tally up to $14.6m.

• Summit International’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse enjoyed a strong third weekend thanks to an estimated $42m haul from 8,840 screens in 69 markets that raised the running total to $288m.

The film opened top in Germany on $2.5m. Latest figures will become available this week, however sources put the UK on $33.7m, France $20.3m, Spain $19.6m, and South Korea on $10.5m.

• Toy Story 3 added $32.9m for $267.5m from 41 territories through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International and is now Disney’s tenth biggest animation. The worldwide tally of $630.2m (combined with $362.7m in North America after five weekends) ranks it as the studio’s 11^th biggest global release.

The Pixar hit launched in France on $8.9m for the company’s third biggest debut there, and set a new opening record in Hong Kong on $3m.

Big things are expected when Toy Story 3 opens in the UK on July 19. So far the film has been released in roughly 60% of international markets.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice opened day-and-date with North America in 13 territories, grossing $8.3m. Russia was a key driver as the family action film took $4.8m in first place and scored the biggest launch for Nicolas Cage and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Next weekend the film expands its run into nine additional markets including South Korea.

• Fox International’s action comedy Knight And Day added $20m from 5,230 screens in 49 markets for a relatively early $63.5m running total. The film arrived in 19 new markets and opened top in Australia on $3.3m from 361, top in Brazil on $2.7m from 322, and held on to number one in its second weekend in China on $2.5m from 1,158 screens.

Predators opened in nine markets and overall added $11.1m from 3,915 screens in 31 for $37.6m. It debuted in France on $2.1m from 384 and Italy on $948,000 from 250. Marmaduke stands at 21.7m and The A-Team has amassed $59.8m with the UK, Japan, Germany and Spain yet to come.

• Warner Bros and Legendary Picture’s sci-fi tale Inception launched overseas on $16.5m according to confirmed results. The film drew 2.8m admissions from 1,828 screens in eight markets.

Leading the way was the UK on $9m (£5.9m) from 783 screens, marking the biggest opening for a Leonardo Di Caprio film in that country. Inception dominated the weekend at with a commanding 40% market share of the top five.

The film also debuted in Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India and Thailand. Inception and is estimated to top the charts throughout the region with an estimated $6.4m from 978 screens.

Next weekend Warner Bros Pictures International opens a further 29 countries including France, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Mexico.

• Universal’s animation Despicable Me – a hit in North America after two weekends – grossed $4m through UPI from 503 venues in seven to raise the early international total to $11.3m. It opened in three new territories and all opened in the Top three.

Thailand grossed $180,000 from 34, Ukraine grossed $350,000 from 71 and UAE took $330,000 from 35. Russia was the biggest holdover on $2m from 184 locations for an 11-day total of $7.2m.

Get Him To The Greek added $1m from 480 in 11 territories for $20.6m. The comedy has taken $9.8m in the UK after four weekends and $7.6m in Australia after five.

Robin Hood stands at $204.1m while Fatal, Universal’s latest international acquisition from France, grossed an estimated $500,000 from 350 sites for $7.7m after five weekends.    

The Karate Kid grossed $4.2m from 27 markets through Sony Pictures Releasing International to raise the tally to $45.9m. Including China the industry-wide total stands at $52.9m. The film has taken $8.8 in Australia, $7.7m in Mexico, and $1.5m in New Zealand – all after two weekends.

The comedy Grown Ups took just under $1m from its eight markets and stands at an early $9.5m. It has taken $8.8m in Australia so far.