International Top Five - Horton Holds Off International Offerings
April 9, 2008
Three of the top five films on the international box office chart were not American this weekend, but Horton Hears A Who was able to remain in first place. Over the weekend, it earned $10.72 million on 5,617 screens in 51 markets for a total of $90.36 million. The film opened in third place in France with $3.22 million on 708 screens, which was only an average opening. The film is on track to hit $100 million before it opens in Italy, South Korea, and Japan.
Disco opened in first place in France, knocking Bienvenue Chez les Ch'its out of first place in the market, as it pulled in $8.27 million on 824 screens. Adding in two smaller, French-speaking markets and it landed in second place internationally with $8.68 million on 861 screens in 3 markets.
Third place went to Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon, which is a co-production of China, South Korea, and Hong Kong. It opened in those three markets and scored first place in the first and the last by earning $3.98 million from an estimated 600 screens in China while it pulled in $1.13 million on 41 screens in Hong Kong. On the other hand, it had to settle for second place in South Korea and $2.09 million on 385 screens over the weekend and $2.43 million in total. Overall, it made $7.66 million on 1,176 screens in 6 markets over the weekend for a total of $9.06 million, which is already close to half of its estimated $20 million production budget.
Bienvenue Chez les Ch'its was finally knocked out first place in France, but still made $6.46 million on 906 screens over the weekend for a total of $159.38 million from 17.64 million admissions. The record in this regard is held by Titanic at 20.64 million; it is hard to say if it will make it there, but it should come close. Overall the film made $7.39 million on 996 screens in 3 markets for a total of $168.07 million after six weeks of release.
The Spiderwick Chronicles rounded out the top five with $7.15 million on 3,439 screens in 48 countries for a total of $59.06 million. This includes a first place, $1.28 million on 267 screens over the weekend for a total of $2.17 million in Australia. Its best market remained the U.K. where it added $1.64 million on 485 screens over the weekend for a total of $14.81 million. At this pace, the film should top its domestic run, especially with openings in France and Japan ahead.
Filed under: International Box Office, Horton Hears a Who, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, Disco