GI Joe rules int'l on $40.2m

The Paramount, MGM and Skydance Productions action sci-fi was active in 9,220 theatres in 60 markets and generated the biggest sum in South Korea where $3.7m from 590 sites raised the running total to $11.2m.

Russia produced a $3.2m number one hold from 1,267 locales for $14.6m, while $2.6m from 510 in Germany elevated the tally to $8.5m and Mexico’s $2.5m from 580 resulted in $10.8m.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation added $2.2m in Australia from 409 for $8.3m, $1.7m in the UK from 438 for $8.6m and $1.8m number one holds in both France from 495 for $5.8m and Brazil from 420 for $5.8m, respectively.

Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson scored a trio of number one debuts, opening in Belgium on a mighty $961,000 from 60 locations, some 60% ahead of 2009’s franchise launchpad G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra. The film opened in South Africa on $397,000 from 97 or approximately 40% ahead of its predecessor, and opened in Vietnam on a terrific $574,000 from 31.

Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters added $1.5m from 1,200 locations in 23 international markets to reach $163.8m. The fantasy adventure stands at $17.4m in Germany after six weekends and grossed $280,000 from 52 sites in its second weekend in Venezuela for $1.6m.

• DreamWorks International’s The Croods crossed $200m in its third weekend through Fox International as $34.1m from 11,347 screens in 62 markets boosted the tally to $206.8m.

Fox International claimed the film ranks number one in 18 markets including nine of the top 15. They are: Australia, which generated $3.6m from 533 for $11.9m after two; the UK on $3.6m from 1,050 for $26.8m after three; Germany on $3.5m from 1,025 for $16.5m after three; Mexico on $2.5m from 1,397 for $20.6m after three; Italy on $1.9m from 749 for $12.9m after three; Brazil on $1.9m from 606 for $11.1m after three; Spain on $1.9m from 604 for $13.5m after three; Belgium on $917,000 from 140 for $2m after three; Argentina on $843,000 from 210 in for $5.5m; and Sweden on $496,000 from 20 for $2.9m after three.

The Croods coaxed a further $2.2m from 1,398 Russian screens in its third weekend to reach $25.1m. The debut in nearby Poland produced $968,000 from 214 screens.

As usual there was a string of notable results from Latin America as the family release added $933,000 from 125 in the increasingly impressive Venezuela for $4.7m to stay top for the third weekend in a row. The film stayed top for the third consecutive session in two other markets on the continent: $504,000 from 194 in Colombia for $3.9m and $587,000 from 121 in Chile for $26m.

Fox International Productions’ Running Man opened top in South Korea on $3.7m from 565 and scored a $4.4m second weekend in Japan with Dragonball Z (a co-production with Toei) on 312 screens as that film climbed to $18.7m.

Danny Boyle’s Trance grossed $3.2m from 1,400 in six markets, boosting the early score to $7.2m. The thriller opened in Russia at number five on $1.2m from 628 and arrived in Australia on $616,000 from 200 in sixth place. The UK ranks third after generating a further $1.2m from 456 to reach $5.1m after two weekends.

A Good Day To Die Hard added $1.6m from 13 markets for $234m.

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported that  in its fifth weekend fantasy adventure Oz The Great And Powerful grossed $13.6m from 56 territories to stand at $241.3m internationally and $454.1m worldwide.

Russia remains the lead market on $27m followed by China on $20.9m, the UK on $20.6m, Japan on $17.2m, Mexico on $14.8m, Australia on $14.4m, Germany on $13.7m, Brazil on 13m, France on $12.1m, Italy on $10.6m, Spain on $7.7m, Venezuela on $4.1m, Argentina on $3.5m and South Korea on $2.7m.

• Jack The Giant Slayer brought in a further $10.9m through Warner Bros Pictures International from 61 markets to stand at $116.8m. The fantasy adventure added $1.4m in France for $4.1m after two weekends and $1.1m in the UK for $9.1m after three.
• Sony Pictures Releasing International reported that the Evil Dead remake, distributed in the US this weekend through TriStar, grossed an estimated $4.5m from 1,110 screens in 21 markets.

Russia led the way and is frequently does these days, grossing $1.6m from 386 for fourth place, followed by Spain on $1.5m from 263 for number two. Mexico generated $390,000 from 15.

• Jurassic Park 3D opened through Universal Pictures International in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Lebanon, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and the UAE on an estimated $3m from 1,017 sites. Russia generated $1.4m from 601 in sixth place, Australia ranks fifth on $650,000 from a limited 26 sites.

Identity Thief added $6.4m from 27 for $25.8m and arrived in Australia in second place on $2.7m from 235. Mama grossed $2.3m from 32 for $58.6m, while Working Title’sLes Misérables stands at $288.6m. Anna Karenina stands at $56.2m and Ted $330.5m and $45.2m in Japan after 12 sessions.