Around the World Roundup: 'Jumper' Hops to First in Debut
Supplying an audience eager for action, Jumper filled the void with a superb $29.4 million start from 30 markets last weekend, topping the foreign box office. The picture was No. 1 in the United Kingdom with $6 million from 406 screens, 67 percent ahead of the similarly-released Ghost Rider last year. It was also bigger than Ghost Rider in Spain with a fantastic $3.8 million debut from 447 screens and in Australia, beating it by 63 percent, and Ghost Rider was no slouch overseas, grossing $112.9 million overall. One sour note for Jumper was in Hong Kong where the fantastical action picture placed second with $785,954 from 39 screens, below the second weekend of Enchanted though still topping Ghost Rider by 35 percent. Jumper had no awful openings and will be in most of the world by the first week of March.
Abating 39 percent, Astérix aux jeux olympiques grossed $14.8 million over the weekend from 25 territories, pushing its total to $92.6 million. The French comedy sequel fell only 34 percent in its native market for an outstanding $44.1 million total, only a smidgen behind Shrek the Third's final tally, and it had good holds in Italy and Spain.
Boosted by France's second-ranked $5.7 million opening, National Treasure: Book of Secrets placed third internationally with $12.7 million from 38 territories. Its French opening was almost double the original's start. Meanwhile, Book of Secrets opened in first place in Finland with $236,242 from 41 screens and fell an expected 40 percent in the U.K. to push its total to $11.1 million there. Over the weekend, it surpassed $200 million in total receipts, topping its predecessor's $174.5 million finish.
Another Indian picture landed in the Top 5 internationally. The sixteenth century love story Jodhaa Akbar made a solid $8.1 million from 15 markets. Although Bollywood movie have expanded into new territories recently, most of their business still comes from only two: India and the U.K. Jodhaa earned $7 million in India, which wasn't nearly as big as recent blockbusters Om Shanti Om and Welcome. In the U.K., Akbar placed tenth in a crowded market with $717,085 from only 46 screens, posting the territory's highest per screen average.
27 Dresses entered the Top Five with a $7.6 million weekend from 30 markets but showed that it's unlikely to become a bigger hit internationally than it was domestically. Romantic comedies have been topping their domestic tallies a lot recently, including P.S. I Love You with $65.4 million overseas and counting. 27 Dresses, however, posted respectable numbers and led some markets but didn't have one single breakout. It was first in Brazil with $600,240, which was half of P.S. I Love You's opening. It was on top in Mexico with $1.6 million but was third in Germany with $2.6 million.
More notable in Germany was the sudden rise of Earth to the top spot. The documentary grew a surprising 55 percent in its second weekend there to $3.4 million from just 283 screens, beating the openings of Rambo and 27 Dresses as well as unseating last weekend's champion Saw IV. All told, Earth has amassed $43.9 million thus far, including $6.4 million from Germany, $11.2 million from France and $19.7 million from Japan.
On the eve of the Academy Awards, Best Picture nominees expanded and none garnered blockbuster business. With $28.8 million thus far, Juno has yet to post strong results in non-English speaking territories, while No Country has done decently across the board with $30.8 million. There Will Be Blood premiered two weekends ago but expanded nationwide in the U.K. with an unspectacular $1.1 million for a $1.7 million total. The period drama also added 16 markets but none opened higher than fourth place. Michael Clayton's campaign has wound down for the most part and it will end up grossing less overseas than it did in America. Oscar's brightest star, box office wise, has been Atonement with $66.3 million. The romantic drama was the most translatable, akin to The English Patient, and it has several important markets ahead, including China, Denmark, Japan and South Korea. Atonement picked up a good portion of its business before nominations were announced, including a whopping $24 million from the U.K.
Several movies that received lesser nominations from the Academy have had much more successful campaigns. American Gangster will likely surpass The Departed, Sweeney Todd should easily clear $100 million and La Vie en Rose was 2007's second-highest grossing non-English picture.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
Abating 39 percent, Astérix aux jeux olympiques grossed $14.8 million over the weekend from 25 territories, pushing its total to $92.6 million. The French comedy sequel fell only 34 percent in its native market for an outstanding $44.1 million total, only a smidgen behind Shrek the Third's final tally, and it had good holds in Italy and Spain.
Boosted by France's second-ranked $5.7 million opening, National Treasure: Book of Secrets placed third internationally with $12.7 million from 38 territories. Its French opening was almost double the original's start. Meanwhile, Book of Secrets opened in first place in Finland with $236,242 from 41 screens and fell an expected 40 percent in the U.K. to push its total to $11.1 million there. Over the weekend, it surpassed $200 million in total receipts, topping its predecessor's $174.5 million finish.
Another Indian picture landed in the Top 5 internationally. The sixteenth century love story Jodhaa Akbar made a solid $8.1 million from 15 markets. Although Bollywood movie have expanded into new territories recently, most of their business still comes from only two: India and the U.K. Jodhaa earned $7 million in India, which wasn't nearly as big as recent blockbusters Om Shanti Om and Welcome. In the U.K., Akbar placed tenth in a crowded market with $717,085 from only 46 screens, posting the territory's highest per screen average.
27 Dresses entered the Top Five with a $7.6 million weekend from 30 markets but showed that it's unlikely to become a bigger hit internationally than it was domestically. Romantic comedies have been topping their domestic tallies a lot recently, including P.S. I Love You with $65.4 million overseas and counting. 27 Dresses, however, posted respectable numbers and led some markets but didn't have one single breakout. It was first in Brazil with $600,240, which was half of P.S. I Love You's opening. It was on top in Mexico with $1.6 million but was third in Germany with $2.6 million.
More notable in Germany was the sudden rise of Earth to the top spot. The documentary grew a surprising 55 percent in its second weekend there to $3.4 million from just 283 screens, beating the openings of Rambo and 27 Dresses as well as unseating last weekend's champion Saw IV. All told, Earth has amassed $43.9 million thus far, including $6.4 million from Germany, $11.2 million from France and $19.7 million from Japan.
On the eve of the Academy Awards, Best Picture nominees expanded and none garnered blockbuster business. With $28.8 million thus far, Juno has yet to post strong results in non-English speaking territories, while No Country has done decently across the board with $30.8 million. There Will Be Blood premiered two weekends ago but expanded nationwide in the U.K. with an unspectacular $1.1 million for a $1.7 million total. The period drama also added 16 markets but none opened higher than fourth place. Michael Clayton's campaign has wound down for the most part and it will end up grossing less overseas than it did in America. Oscar's brightest star, box office wise, has been Atonement with $66.3 million. The romantic drama was the most translatable, akin to The English Patient, and it has several important markets ahead, including China, Denmark, Japan and South Korea. Atonement picked up a good portion of its business before nominations were announced, including a whopping $24 million from the U.K.
Several movies that received lesser nominations from the Academy have had much more successful campaigns. American Gangster will likely surpass The Departed, Sweeney Todd should easily clear $100 million and La Vie en Rose was 2007's second-highest grossing non-English picture.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
