International Top of the Chart - No Escape for Madagascar
December 24, 2008
Because of the holidays, we do not have complete information on the international box office and are relying in some cases on studio estimates. If we do get the information by the weekend, we will update the top few films and give the rest of the top 30.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa returned to the number one spot on the international chart with $38.79 million on 5959 screens in 56 markets for a total of $224.34 million. The film opened in first place in Italy with $6.29 million on 565 screens, while it also topped the charts in Australia with $2.44 million on 368 screens over the weekend and $4.84 million including previews. Holdovers include France, where the film was down a mere 15% to $5.42 million on 829 screens over the weekend for a total of $23.07 million after three. It was nearly as strong in Germany with $4.99 million on 839 screens over the weekend for a total of $26.48 million. Meanwhile in the U.K. it added $2.75 million on 551 screens over the weekend for a total of $19.05 million.
The Day the Earth Stood Still traded placed with Escape 2 Africa earning second place with $21 million on 7850 screens in 92 markets for a total of $72.3 million. The film opened in first place in Japan with $4.9 million on 655 screens, which is inline with expectations. However, it had trouble with holdovers down 65% in Russia to $2.08 million on 724 screens over the weekend for a total of $9.29 million after two, but at least it remained in first place in that market. In the U.K. it fell from first to fourth with $1.49 million on 467 screens over the weekend and $7.15 million in total.
The only other film to top $10 million this past weekend was Twilight, which was flat adding $11 million on 3140 screens in 27 markets to its total of $64.6 million. The film debuted in first place in the U.K. with $3.71 million on 446 screens, while it had to settle for second place in Brazil with $1.58 million on 321. Its best holdover market was Australia where it added $1.69 million on 306 screens over the weekend and now has $7.03 million in that markets after two weeks of release.
Filed under: International Box Office, Twilight, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, The Day the Earth Stood Still