X-Men prequel in global launch

The Marvel comic book-based action adventure opened through Fox International on 750 screens in France on Wednesday (June 1) and spread to 939 screens in Russia, 416 in Australia and 400 in South Korea on Thursday (June 2).

On Friday (June 3) it adds another 1,000 screens in Mexico, 950 in the UK, 500 in Brazil, 450 in Spain and 120 in Taiwan.

Though it is a prequel to the four earlier X-Men films in the franchise and has a new cast and director, First Class should still be a strong international performer. The most recent franchise entry, 2009 spin-off X-Men Origins: Wolverine, grossed $193.2m (52% of its global total) in international markets. The most recent - and most successful - entry in the series proper, X-Men: The Last Stand, took $225m (49% of its total) internationally in 2006.

First Class will be competing for international ticket buyers with three big holdovers, two of which are expanding internationally.

The Hangover Part II, from Warner Bros Pictures International, expanded into Germany and Russia on Thursday and as of Wednesday had amassed $86.7m internationally in less than a week.

And Kung Fu Panda 2 arrives at 410 locations in 17 new but smaller territories over its second weekend on international release. The DreamWorks Animation family film, distributed by Paramount/PPI, had grossed $74m internationally as of Thursday.

Five other films enter new major markets this weekend.

Universal/UPI’s Paul, with $52.4m from international so far, opened on 243 screens in Italy on Wednesday.

Also from Universal/UPI, The Dilemma, with $19.2m internationally so far, goes onto 187 screens in Spain on Friday and documentary Senna, with $2.9m so far, gets a limited 67-screen UK launch on the same day.

Fox International’s Diary of Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules opened in Germany on Thursday having taken $10.8m internationally so far.

Paramount opened local production Here I Am at nine locations in Australia on Thursday.