Transformers leads international box office; Kung Fu Panda 2 kicks past $400m

Elsewhere, X-Men: First Class crossed $200m for Fox International while Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 is closing in on $300m at the global box office and Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is about to overtake Alice In Wonderland to rank as the sixth biggest global release in history

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon was active in 9,926 sites in 59 markets and prospered from strong word of mouth to finish within spitting distance of $400m after two weekends. Combined with the confirmed $261.1m North American tally the action film has amassed $647.5m worldwide.

South Korea led the number one holdovers on $16.7m from 1,402 for $53m – an all-time record for any film there after 12 days. The UK generated $7.7m from 254 for $29.3m and Russia produced $7.2m from 690 for $36m.

Germany generated $6.6m from 638 for $25.6m, Mexico $5.2m from 530 for $21m, France $4.6m from 700 for $17.8m and Brazil $3.8m from 374 for $13.3m.

Other notable holds include Taiwan on $2.9m from 62 for $18.1m. It was good enough for a record amount for any film in that territory after 12 days, as were $8m in the Philippines and $8.7m in Malaysia, $7.8m in Thailand and $7.4m in Singapore.

The film is due to arrive in China on Jul 21 and Japan on Jul 29.

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2 brought in a confirmed $14m from 8,749 venues in 57 territories and has reached $404.1m. Weekend business was buoyed by strong holdovers in Australia and the UK, resulting in $2.8m from 270 for $14.5m after three and $1.5m from 515 for $22.6m after five.

Super 8 passed $50m thanks to $2.4m from 1,227 situations in 30 markets for $51.1m. Japan was the biggest contributor on $1.7m from 323 for $15.5m after three. Thor generated $856,335 in its second weekend in Japan for $4.2m from 279 and stands at $264.8m internationally.

Cars 2 added $26.9m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International from 27 territories for $121.6m. The global running total stands at $270.4m.

Pixar’s family sequel debuted top in Spain on $5.1m including previews and scored a record animated launch for the distributor in Argentina on $3.3m.

Latest figures put Cars 2 on $21.1m in Mexico after 17 days where it ranks as the second biggest Pixar release behind Toy Story 3, $18.4m in Russia where it ranks as Pixar’s biggest release and Disney’s second biggest animated released behind Tangled.

Brazil stands at $15.8m after 17 days, while Italy has generated $12.1m and Australia has produced $15.3m after two weekends.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides grossed a further $6.5m for $785.4m, easily consolidating its position as the third biggest overseas release in history behind Titanic and Avatar.

The global tally stands at $1.022bn to rank as the seventh biggest release in history behind Disney’s Alice In Wonderland on $1.024bn.

Sony Pictures Releasing International’s R-rated comedy Bad Teacher added a confirmed $13.2m from 2,486 in 30 markets for $45.9m.

Cameron Diaz enticed $5.7m from 545 for an unconfirmed rank in the opening weekend in Russia and $1.8m from 334 in Spain, where Bad Teacher placed second. In the third weekend in Germany it added $1.8m from 512 for $12.5m. The UK stands at $11m after four.

The Kevin James comedy Zookeeper opened day-and-date with North America in 19 markets, grossing $7m from 1,460 screens. Germany led the way on $2.8m from 606 for second place, while Mexico produced $2.3m from 500 for the bronze medal.

Fox International’s X-Men: First Class crossed $200m following a confirmed $2.5m take from 2,627 screens in 44 markets for $201.9m. It has reached $23.8m in the UK and $17.9m in France, both after six weekends.

Mr Popper’s Penguins added $10.7m from 2,718 in 39 for $25.9m and produced a $2.5m hold in Australia for $6.6m and $1.4m in Brazil for $4.2m, both in their second weekends.

In its opening weekend, the Jim Carrey family release grossed $2m in Russia from 586 and $938,672 in Hong Kong from 75. The film is yet to open in the UK, France, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and Argentina. The rom-com Monte Carlo stands at early $2.7m

Universal’s Bridesmaids brought in a confirmed $7.9m from 1,322 sites in 15 territories through UPI for $48.5m. The R-rated comedy ranked second in the UK after $3.6m from 506 raised the tally after three weekends to $19.9m and stands at $21.6m in Australia after four.

Elsewhere, Hop stands at $70.1m with Japan and South Korea yet to open and launched in France on $1.3m from 370; Fast And Furious Five has reached $393m internationally and $601.8m worldwide; Toronto 2010 favourite Beginners stands at $1.2m; and the documentary Senna is on $6.5m.

Warner Bros Pictures International, revving up for the global release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, reported that The Hangover Part II added $5.8m from close to 3,300 screens in 56 markets for $311m. The UK is the lead market on $52.7m. Green Lanterns stands at $34m.

Summit International reported that Larry Crowne grossed $4.2m for $8.4m through licensees in 18 countries and opened in France on $1.5m from 412 sites.