Paranormal 4 edges out Taken 2 to rule international arena

The fourth entry in the hit horror series stands at $55.2m worldwide and debuted on 3,963 cinemas in 33 countries reported, topping the charts in nine. The UK led the way on $4.1m from 415 sites over five days following Wednesday’s kick-off.

Paranormal Activity 4 arrived in Russia on $4m from 650 in the biggest debut for a non-3D horror film. It opened in Australia on $3.5m from 214 and in Germany on $2.5m from 316. All results beat those of the previous instalment.

Mexico generated $2.2m from 530 and there were fireworks in Brazil where $1.9m from 253 produced the biggest debut for a horror film and PPI’s fourth biggest opening weekend in history behind Transformers 3, Indiana Jones 4 and The Last Airbender. Spain produced $1.1m from 236 and Argentina $1.1m from 100 for the biggest horror film debut. New debuts this week include South Korea, India and Taiwan.

DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar 3 added a confirmed $14.6m from 2,673 venues in 32 countries reported for a $482.9m running total. The family film opened top in the UK on $9.6m from 519 and grossed a further $3.2m in Germany from 740 for a $29.1m running total.

• UPDATED: Fox International reported that Taken 2 brought in a further $25.4m from 7,819 screens in 66 markets as the tally climbed to $177.9m after three weekends, of which a weekend haul of $9m came from EuropaCorp territories for a $76.9m running total. Ice Age 4 has reached $710.3m and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter $72.6m.
• UPDATED: Hotel Transylvania grossed a confirmed $15.1m from 4,586 screens in 38 markets through Sony Pictures Releasing International to boost the early international running total to $68.8m after four weekends. A number one launch in Russia led the way on $5m from 797 followed by $1.8m in the UK from 793 for $5.6m after two weekends.

Brazil generated $1.7m from 428 for $12.3m after three and Mexico produced $1.2m from 700 for $11.2m after four. Australia has produced $11.4m after four.

Total Recall added $4.8m from 19 markets for $125.7m and opened in China on $3.6m from 6,100 screens. Resident Evil: Retribution has reached $175.5m overall, of which $160.6m comes from SPRI markets. The sci-fi horror has amassed $46.4m in Japan after six weekends.  

• UPDATED: There were more heroics from The Impossible in Spain where a further $9m (€7m) from 643 screens through Warner Bros Pictures Entertainment Espana cemented the second biggest second weekend in history behind Avatar and ensured the drama stayed top and reached $26m (€20m) to rank as the biggest film at the box office for the year to date.

Warner Bros Pictures International executives reported that Argo launched in eight smaller markets for $1.2m. The film ranked top on $441,000 from 70 screens. Argo arrives this week in Australia, Japan and Spain.

• UPDATED: R-rated smash comedy Ted added a confirmed $8.3m from 2,365 sites in 42 territories through Universal Pictures International to push the running total to $262.9m and the global tally to $481.2m. The film opened in Malaysia despite initial concerns that it would not do so due to a restrictive rating. It was worth the effort as the film arrived in third place on $210,000 from 38 sites for the second biggest launch of an R-rated comedy behind The Simpsons.

Pitch Perfect has reached an early $1.9m, The Bourne Legacy $126.4m with China set to open this week (25) and Savages $22.8m. Anna Karenina stands at $9.8m from China and the UK and ParaNorman has grossed $37.8m. The Brad Pitt crime thriller Killing Them Softly opened through Universal in Russia on $1.4m from 355 digital-only venues.

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported that Frankenweenie brought in $4.1m from 19 territories for an early $11.9m running total
• StudioCanal opened Beasts Of The Southern Wild in the UK in ninth place on $282,000 from three days including $38,500 in previews.