International Details: Inception's Fast Start

August 1, 2010

The top film on the international scene was published on Wednesday and can be found here.

After opening in a few markets last weekend, Inception got its international run off in earnest last weekend and climbed into second place with $56.78 million on 5,177 screens in 36 markets for a still early total of $87.86 million. It opened in a number of major markets and debuted in first place in most of them. The biggest was Japan with $7.86 million on 525 screens over the weekend and $8.94 million in total. France was also a lucrative market for the film with $8.01 million on 626 screens, while in South Korea it made $6.01 million on 583 screens over the weekend and $7.89 million in total. Russia added $7.08 million on 895 screens to its weekend haul, while Australia produced $6.67 million on 413. The film only managed seventh in Mexico with just $467,000 on 152 screens, but this was a low screen count. In the U.K. the film was down just 29% to $6.47 million on 456 screens over the weekend for a total of $22.01 after two.

• Shrek Forever After fell from first to third with $34.57 million on 6,579 screens in 47 markets for a total of $363.23 million internationally and $598.08 million worldwide. It is safe to assume the movie has reached $600 million worldwide by now. The film was hurt by a lack of major market releases over the weekend, but it held strong in Mexico, remaining in top spot with $4.67 million on 1,110 screens over the weekend and $19.18 million after two. On the other end of the scale, it was down 71% in the U.K. to $1.90 million on 530 screens over the weekend and $41.65 million in total.
• Aftershock opened in fourth place with $24.13 million on 2,567 screens in five markets, including its native China, which is a part of the world we rarely get timely information from.
• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse fell to fifth place with $21.91 million on 7,631 screens in 60 markets for a total of $320.42 million internationally and $600.25 million worldwide. The film is mostly at the end of its run (it has yet to open in Japan) but even if it doesn't earn another dollar, it likely made enough profit to pay for the next two installments of the franchise.
• Knight and Day added $15.80 million on 5,430 screens in 60 markets for a total of $88.70 million internationally, which is above its domestic total. In Germany, it opened in third place with $3.40 million on 712 screens, while in Spain it was down 41% to $1.33 million on 494 screens over the weekend for a total of $5.00 million after two.
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice expanded and that helped it climb a spot to seventh with $11.95 million on 2,074 screens in 20 markets for a total of $27.89 million. It scored third place in South Korea with $1.56 million on 370 screens over the weekend and $2.07 million in total. Meanwhile in Russia it was down 55% to $2.51 million on 772 screens over the weekend and $10.58 million after two.
• The Karate Kid returned to the top ten in eighth place with $10.56 million on 2,079 screens in 32 markets for a total of $65.63 million internationally. It opened in second place in Germany with $4.59 million on 491 screens, while it opened in the U.K. this weekend, so it could continue to climb the chart.
• Karigurashi No Arietty was pushed into second place in Japan, but still managed a very healthy $6.88 million on 447 screens over the weekend for a total of $29.87 million after two.
• Khatta Meetha opened in tenth place with $6.70 million on 894 screens in 16 markets, which is a strong start for an Indian film.
• Predators just fell out of the top ten with $5.66 million on 3,370 screens in 34 markets for a total of $48.14 million internationally, which is just ahead of its domestic pace. It opened in Brazil, but only managed sixth place with $779,000 on 167 screens.
• Salt debuted in 12th place with $5.31 million on 750 screens in 17 markets, but these were mostly smaller markets. Its biggest debut was in India where it made $1.6 million on 464 screens, but it is hard to use that market as a gauge for its international potential.
• The Last Airbender fell a couple more spots to 13th place with $4.76 million on 1,292 screens in 10 markets for a still early total of $27.44 million. A lack of market openings hurt, but it did add $1.39 million on 554 screens in Russia for a total of $16.93 million after three weeks of release.
• Moss was pushed into second place in South Korea with $3.86 million on 607 screens over the weekend for a total of $14.03 million after two.
• Bayside Shakedown 3 fell 40% in Japan, which is a steeper than usual decline for that market. However, it still added $3.72 million on 447 screens over the weekend for a total of $52.48 million, which is impressive.
• Despicable Me added $2.95 million on 952 screens in 9 markets for a still early total of $17.14 million. It had no new major market openings, again, while it has earned $9.67 million in Russia, including $1.10 million on 712 screens.
• Grown Ups returned to the chart in 17th place with $2.69 million on 713 screens in 10 markets for an early total of $12.57 million. This was thanks mostly to its second place, $1.72 million opening on 400 screens in Mexico.
• Pikachu The Movie 2010 remained on this chart for one more week with $2.63 million on 369 screens for a total of $20.21 million after three. This was enough for fifth place in Japan and 18th place overall.
• L'italien added $2.05 million on 463 screens in 3 markets over the weekend for a total of $5.39 million after two.
• Marmaduke nearly fell off the chart again with $2.03 million on 1,275 screens in 12 markets for a toatl of $24.93 million after two months of release.

Filed under: International Box Office, Inception, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Despicable Me, The Last Airbender, Salt, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Marmaduke, Shrek Forever After, The Karate Kid, Grown Ups, Knight and Day, Predators