Around the World Roundup: 'Ratatouille' the Main Course
One nation was all Ratatouille needed to unseat The Bourne Ultimatum from the foreign top spot, which the action thriller had held for the past four weeks. Debuting in Germany, Ratatouille raked in $11.8 million over five days, and that alone was greater than the overall weekend tally of any other movie in the international market. Add in holdovers and a $673,539 opening in Denmark, and Pixar's computer-animated comedy's weekend came to $19.3 million for a $245.8 million total. Its German start more than tripled Cars' 2006 opening and more than doubled The Incedibles' 2004 launch. Ratatouille opens in the United Kingdom this weekend and in Italy the next.
Ranking second, Resident Evil: Extinction continued its one-weak wonder campaign with fantastic debuts in France ($2.4 million from 408 screens), Hong Kong ($678,166 from 36) and Brazil ($1.2 million from 214). As expected, though, the horror sequel tumbled in holdovers, down 54 percent in Germany and 67 percent in Thailand. Overall, its weekend was $7.9 million from 20 territories for a $29.5 million total.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ranked third, surprisingly holding better than The Bourne Ultimatum with a $6.1 million weekend for a $48 million total. Aside from a moderate opening in Israel ($178,841 from 28 screens), the comedy bagged nearly all of its money from holdovers, including Germany (down just 37 percent to $2.1 million for a $7.2 million total) and Mexico (down 23 percent for a $3.1 million total). Only a few smaller territories remain in the picture's overseas campaign.
Rush Hour 3 continued its strong international run with a hefty $2.4 million opening from 237 screens in South Korea. The action comedy ranked second to a local hit but placed first in two other openings: Peru ($119,423 from 30) and the Netherlands ($375,623 from 80). Its total improved to $91.2 million after a $6 million weekend, and it should soon pass the original Rush Hour.
Last weekend's leader, The Bourne Ultimatum, fell to fifth place with $6 million from 44 territories for a $172.5 million total. It had two solid openings in Greece ($570,026 from 68 screens) and Venezuela ($247,436 from 66), but older markets finally started to fade significantly as they lost screens to newer pictures. Bourne will rejuvenate in November with three high-profile debuts in Japan, China and Italy.
The Heartbreak Kid saw mixed returns in its first foreign foray, totaling $5.7 million from four markets. The Ben Stiller comedy looked sturdy in Russia with $2.3 million from 303 screens, ranking second, but disappointed in the U.K. with $2.6 million from 408 screens. The movie also fared well in Portugal ($433,332 from 45 screens) and the Ukraine ($476,704 from 62).
Also opening internationally, The Kingdom was modest in both Australia ($1.1 million from 166 screens) and the U.K. ($1.9 million from 385 screens) and barely cracked the Top Five in New Zealand ($149,480 from 46 screens). The action picture's only non-English speaking territory, Bulgaria, looked promising, though, with a top-ranked $31,206 from 8 screens. Bahrain and Kuwait banned the Saudi Arabia-set movie, which still may see healthy returns from the Middle East like the similarly named and themed Kingdom of Heaven.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekeend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
Ranking second, Resident Evil: Extinction continued its one-weak wonder campaign with fantastic debuts in France ($2.4 million from 408 screens), Hong Kong ($678,166 from 36) and Brazil ($1.2 million from 214). As expected, though, the horror sequel tumbled in holdovers, down 54 percent in Germany and 67 percent in Thailand. Overall, its weekend was $7.9 million from 20 territories for a $29.5 million total.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ranked third, surprisingly holding better than The Bourne Ultimatum with a $6.1 million weekend for a $48 million total. Aside from a moderate opening in Israel ($178,841 from 28 screens), the comedy bagged nearly all of its money from holdovers, including Germany (down just 37 percent to $2.1 million for a $7.2 million total) and Mexico (down 23 percent for a $3.1 million total). Only a few smaller territories remain in the picture's overseas campaign.
Rush Hour 3 continued its strong international run with a hefty $2.4 million opening from 237 screens in South Korea. The action comedy ranked second to a local hit but placed first in two other openings: Peru ($119,423 from 30) and the Netherlands ($375,623 from 80). Its total improved to $91.2 million after a $6 million weekend, and it should soon pass the original Rush Hour.
Last weekend's leader, The Bourne Ultimatum, fell to fifth place with $6 million from 44 territories for a $172.5 million total. It had two solid openings in Greece ($570,026 from 68 screens) and Venezuela ($247,436 from 66), but older markets finally started to fade significantly as they lost screens to newer pictures. Bourne will rejuvenate in November with three high-profile debuts in Japan, China and Italy.
The Heartbreak Kid saw mixed returns in its first foreign foray, totaling $5.7 million from four markets. The Ben Stiller comedy looked sturdy in Russia with $2.3 million from 303 screens, ranking second, but disappointed in the U.K. with $2.6 million from 408 screens. The movie also fared well in Portugal ($433,332 from 45 screens) and the Ukraine ($476,704 from 62).
Also opening internationally, The Kingdom was modest in both Australia ($1.1 million from 166 screens) and the U.K. ($1.9 million from 385 screens) and barely cracked the Top Five in New Zealand ($149,480 from 46 screens). The action picture's only non-English speaking territory, Bulgaria, looked promising, though, with a top-ranked $31,206 from 8 screens. Bahrain and Kuwait banned the Saudi Arabia-set movie, which still may see healthy returns from the Middle East like the similarly named and themed Kingdom of Heaven.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekeend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
