Interstellar steals international show on $107.9m

WARNER BROS PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: China played its part as Interstellar maintained its chart-topping course and earned a further $107.9m from 63 markets to boost the running total to $225.8m. The worldwide tally has reached $322.7m.

Warner Bros executives said Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi was tracking 13% ahead of Inception by the same stage and 6% ahead of Gravity.

The impressive 22% second-weekend drop was aided and abetted by $12.4m from Imax, which has now generated $24.1m including $6.6m debut in China for new marks for an Imax 2D release and Nolan in China.

China has generated approximately $42m from 7,743 screens in the first five days, setting a new high for Nolan, a record 2D launch for Warner Bros and the studio’s second biggest debut behind Pacific Rim in 3D.

South Korea delivered an extraordinary $15.8m from 1,389 to propel the tally after two weekends to $35.9m. The UK produced a number one $6m from 1,170 for $19.4m.

Elsewhere Interstellar took $5.5m for $17.1m in Russia, $3.9m for number one and a  $12.7m tally in France, $3.8m for number one and $9.8m in Germany and $3.3m for number one and $8.3m in Australia.

The film ranks second in Italy behind local debut The Best School In The World and took $3.1m for $8m and ranks top in Spain on $2m where it has amassed $5.8m. It added $1.8m in Mexico heading into the Monday holiday for $5.8m and $1.5m in Brazil for $3.9m. The Japanese debut comes on November 22.

Horror hit Annabelle added $3.1m from 50 markets to reach $166.4m.

ORIENTAL DREAMWORKS

Penguins Of Madagascar opened a couple weeks ahead of North America in China on a somewhat muted $11.3m for second place behind Interstellar.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

Days after The Walt Disney Studios announced (November 14) it had crossed $4bn at the global box office for the second time in the studio’s history and in company record time, Big Hero 6 delivered several noteworthy results.

The $11.9m weekend haul from 23 territories propelled the early international running total to $36.7m. The animation stands at $19m in Russia, where it ranks as the second biggest Disney animation behind Frozen, and scored a $4.8m number one debut in Mexico heading into holiday Monday.

The Philippines has generated $3.1m to overtake the lifetime grosses of Frozen, Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph, while it is already the biggest Disney animation ever in Vietnam.

Big Hero 6 scored record Disney animation launches in Singapore and Malaysia, where in the case of the latter it also delivered the second biggest industry animation debut behind Despicable Me 2.

A slew of launches in December includes Australia, Japan, Brazil, Spain and Italy, followed in January by the UK, Germany and South Korea. The French debut is set for February. 

ASIA UPDATE

Hong Kong-based Media Asia Film Distribution’s Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2, the rom-com sequel from Johnnie To, brought in a further $9m to reach $24m.

FOX INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: Gone Girl grossed $5.3m from 35 markets for $167m. The mystery stands at $34.7m in the lead market of the UK after seven sessions and $21.8m in Australia after the same period.

The Maze Runner used $3.9m from 25 to vault to $231.6m and has reached $23.2m in France and $22.6m in China, the difference being that it has played in the former for five sessions and the latter for three. The UK has delivered $13.9m after six.

Let’s Be Cops opened in seven markets including Australia, where $1.5m from 215 was good enough for second place. An overall $2.5m from 20 elevated the haul to $41.8m.

The Book Of Life earned $1.9m from 15 for $37.8m and has produced $10.5m from 783 screens in director Jorge Guttierrez’s native Mexico after five weekends. The riff on Greek mythology and the Mexican tradition of The Day Of The Dead has generated $8.5m in the UK after four.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles grossed $4.3m from 20 territories to reach $283.3m, fuelled by a further $2.2m in the third weekend in China that boosted the tally there to $56.9m. The UK has generated $21.7m after five, while France and Germany have delivered $15m and $10.3m, respectively. The final market will be Japan on February 7.

Hercules stands at $170.7m including $11.2m through MGM licensees.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: Fury grossed $3.2m from 19 SPRI markets to bring the studio’s tally to $45m. Results from financier and international sales agent QED International were unavailable at time of writing.

The Brad Pitt WWII tank film opened in Denmark on $228,000 from 63 screens and has reached $12.6m in the UK after four weekends, $7.2m in Australia after four and $8.1m in Russia after three. France has delivered $6m, also after four.

The Equalizer added $1.2m from 45 territories for $90.8m, of which $83.5m comes from SPRI and roughly $7.2m through Village Roadshow. Germany is at $8.9m, Spain $3.9m and Venezuela $1.4m.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

UPDATED: The number one North American release Dumb And Dumber To opened in Germany, Spain, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland on $3.4m from 902 sites in four territories. UPI holds rights in seven territories. Germany accounted for $1.6m in third place and Spain $1.2m in second place. The UK opens on December 19.

Ouija grossed $3.1m from 22 territories for $17.3m and the horror film arrived in Russia in second place on $1.6m.

UPI distributes Italian comedy The Best School In The World (La Scuola Pui Bella Del Mondo) and it opened top on $3.2m from 499 venues. Severe flooding in northern parts of the country are understood to have impeded what would otherwise have been an even stronger performance.

Dracula Untold took $3.2m from 55 for $153.3m and held firm at number three in Brazil where $1.2m boosted the score to $11m after four weekends.

The Boxtrolls added $2.1m from 46 for $54.6m, Trash stands at an early $1.9m from seven and Boyhood has amassed $18.7m from UPI territories with seven to go.

STUDIOCANAL

The Imitation Game opened in the UK on $4.2m.

LIONSGATE INTERNATIONAL

John Wick added $2.1m from 40 territories to reach $17.1m and stands at $2.4m in each of Australia, France and the Middle East, $1.6m in Mexico and $1.4m in Taiwan.