Around the World Roundup: 'Bourne' Ekes Past 'Simpsons'
It was another close call at the foreign box office over the weekend as The Bourne Ultimatum narrowly edged out The Simpsons Movie. Bourne added eight nations, ballooning its gross to $22.6 million for a $33.5 million total.
The United Kingdom supplied much of Bourne Ultimatum's weekend haul. The action thriller opened to a fantastic $12.7 million from 447 screens there, more than double its predecessors' openings. More impressive was Spain, where Bourne opened on Tuesday to gain business from the Assumption Day holiday. It tabulated $4.9 million over its first six days there, which means it will top the final tallies of its predecessors this week. New heights for the franchise were also seen in Denmark ($527,605 from 49 screens), Finland ($218,304 from 26), the Philippines ($659,025 from 96) and Singapore ($763,977 from 29).
Meanwhile, holdovers were a mixed bag. While Bourne Ultimatum tumbled 65 percent in the United Arab Emirates ($925,412 total) and 68 percent in Thailand ($1.3 million total), it eased 29 percent in Indonesia ($993,678) and 42 percent in South Africa ($765,688). Bourne lands in seven new territories this weekend, including Brazil and Russia.
Falling to second place, The Simpsons Movie bagged $22.3 million from 49 territories for a $267.6 million total. The cartoon comedy had two terrific openings in Russia and Brazil. In Russia, it brought in $3.7 million, which was ahead of Scary Movie 4 and double Evan Almighty. In Brazil, it made $2.7 million from 442 screens, which topped Ratatouille. The Simpsons wasn't so hot in the Netherlands where it grabbed a disappointing $840,880 from 190 screens.
Most of The Simpsons' holdovers have been strong. For instance in Finland, the picture's $239,903 fourth weekend was larger than The Bourne Ultimatum's debut. In Serbia & Montenegro, The Simpsons is now the highest grossing non-local movie of the year at $246,839, almost doubling Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Most notable, however, is the picture's dynamite run in the U.K. It held onto second place, down 29 percent to $3.1 million for a four-weekend haul of $68.8 million. The Simpsons hits South Korea this weekend.
Ratatouille secured third place with a $16.7 million weekend from 30 markets for a $149.4 million total. The animated comedy continues to wow in France with a $7.9 million third weekend, off just 12 percent for a $36.3 million total. Other mighty holds came from the Netherlands (down 18 percent), Hong Kong (down 35 percent) and Japan (down 11 percent). Ratatouille also had a few strong openings in smaller markets: Iceland ($56,907 from 10 screens), Lithuania ($123,445 from 9), Malaysia ($346,343 from 52), Slovenia ($56,753 from 12) and the United Arab Emirates ($195,818 from 19).
Fourth for the weekend, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix eased 35 percent to $15.6 million for a $591.2 million total. In its second weekend in China, the fantasy sequel fell 41 percent to $3.2 million for a $13.35 million total. In local currency, it was the first Harry Potter to pass 100 million Yuan Renminbis. At the same time, Order of Phoenix continued to lead in Japan with a stellar $2.6 million fifth frame for a $63.4 million total. Potter opens in its final major market, Greece, this weekend.
Rush Hour 3 rose to fifth place with a surprisingly strong $11.4 million from 14 territories for a $26.8 million total. The action comedy topped its two predecessors in Germany with a solid $4 million opening from 604 screens. In Jackie Chan's traditionally successful box office market of Hong Kong, it disappointed with a $449,057 debut from 35 screens. The picture, though, looked good in Norway ($357,139 from 32) and Thailand ($728,423 from 150). Holdovers had falls over 40 percent as expected.
Transfomers nabbed sixth place with an $11.1 million weekend from 52 territories for a $354.3 million total. The action spectacle had a terrific launch in India with $1 million from 262 screens, but its European premieres weren't as successful. In Poland, its $663,540 from 106 screens wasn't enough to top Surf's Up opening a week earlier. In the Czech Republic, its $175,090 from 21 screens was only a third of Shrek the Third's debut. In Slovenia, its $74,879 from 8 wasn't even enough to lead the market. Meanwhile, the movie fell 26 percent in Japan for a $24.1 million total. This weekend it strikes Latvia, Serbia & Montenegro and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Surf's Up finally saw some good business, generating $6.9 million from 38 markets over the weekend for a $24.7 million total. The animated comedy nabbed $2.7 million from its six-day opening in Spain and it led Venezuela with a fantastic $311,240 from 60 screens. In the U.K., it was down just one percent in its second weekend for a $4.6 million total.
Domestic non-starter Stardust picked up $4.8 million from five markets for a $9.1 million total. The fantasy feature added two more impressive starts in South Korea ($2.3 million from 176 screens) and the Ukraine (a top-ranked $577,317 from 75 screens), but looked awful in the United Arab Emirates ($102,840 from 19 screens). In Russia, it fell 40 percent for a $6 million total.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
The United Kingdom supplied much of Bourne Ultimatum's weekend haul. The action thriller opened to a fantastic $12.7 million from 447 screens there, more than double its predecessors' openings. More impressive was Spain, where Bourne opened on Tuesday to gain business from the Assumption Day holiday. It tabulated $4.9 million over its first six days there, which means it will top the final tallies of its predecessors this week. New heights for the franchise were also seen in Denmark ($527,605 from 49 screens), Finland ($218,304 from 26), the Philippines ($659,025 from 96) and Singapore ($763,977 from 29).
Meanwhile, holdovers were a mixed bag. While Bourne Ultimatum tumbled 65 percent in the United Arab Emirates ($925,412 total) and 68 percent in Thailand ($1.3 million total), it eased 29 percent in Indonesia ($993,678) and 42 percent in South Africa ($765,688). Bourne lands in seven new territories this weekend, including Brazil and Russia.
Falling to second place, The Simpsons Movie bagged $22.3 million from 49 territories for a $267.6 million total. The cartoon comedy had two terrific openings in Russia and Brazil. In Russia, it brought in $3.7 million, which was ahead of Scary Movie 4 and double Evan Almighty. In Brazil, it made $2.7 million from 442 screens, which topped Ratatouille. The Simpsons wasn't so hot in the Netherlands where it grabbed a disappointing $840,880 from 190 screens.
Most of The Simpsons' holdovers have been strong. For instance in Finland, the picture's $239,903 fourth weekend was larger than The Bourne Ultimatum's debut. In Serbia & Montenegro, The Simpsons is now the highest grossing non-local movie of the year at $246,839, almost doubling Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Most notable, however, is the picture's dynamite run in the U.K. It held onto second place, down 29 percent to $3.1 million for a four-weekend haul of $68.8 million. The Simpsons hits South Korea this weekend.
Ratatouille secured third place with a $16.7 million weekend from 30 markets for a $149.4 million total. The animated comedy continues to wow in France with a $7.9 million third weekend, off just 12 percent for a $36.3 million total. Other mighty holds came from the Netherlands (down 18 percent), Hong Kong (down 35 percent) and Japan (down 11 percent). Ratatouille also had a few strong openings in smaller markets: Iceland ($56,907 from 10 screens), Lithuania ($123,445 from 9), Malaysia ($346,343 from 52), Slovenia ($56,753 from 12) and the United Arab Emirates ($195,818 from 19).
Fourth for the weekend, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix eased 35 percent to $15.6 million for a $591.2 million total. In its second weekend in China, the fantasy sequel fell 41 percent to $3.2 million for a $13.35 million total. In local currency, it was the first Harry Potter to pass 100 million Yuan Renminbis. At the same time, Order of Phoenix continued to lead in Japan with a stellar $2.6 million fifth frame for a $63.4 million total. Potter opens in its final major market, Greece, this weekend.
Rush Hour 3 rose to fifth place with a surprisingly strong $11.4 million from 14 territories for a $26.8 million total. The action comedy topped its two predecessors in Germany with a solid $4 million opening from 604 screens. In Jackie Chan's traditionally successful box office market of Hong Kong, it disappointed with a $449,057 debut from 35 screens. The picture, though, looked good in Norway ($357,139 from 32) and Thailand ($728,423 from 150). Holdovers had falls over 40 percent as expected.
Transfomers nabbed sixth place with an $11.1 million weekend from 52 territories for a $354.3 million total. The action spectacle had a terrific launch in India with $1 million from 262 screens, but its European premieres weren't as successful. In Poland, its $663,540 from 106 screens wasn't enough to top Surf's Up opening a week earlier. In the Czech Republic, its $175,090 from 21 screens was only a third of Shrek the Third's debut. In Slovenia, its $74,879 from 8 wasn't even enough to lead the market. Meanwhile, the movie fell 26 percent in Japan for a $24.1 million total. This weekend it strikes Latvia, Serbia & Montenegro and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Surf's Up finally saw some good business, generating $6.9 million from 38 markets over the weekend for a $24.7 million total. The animated comedy nabbed $2.7 million from its six-day opening in Spain and it led Venezuela with a fantastic $311,240 from 60 screens. In the U.K., it was down just one percent in its second weekend for a $4.6 million total.
Domestic non-starter Stardust picked up $4.8 million from five markets for a $9.1 million total. The fantasy feature added two more impressive starts in South Korea ($2.3 million from 176 screens) and the Ukraine (a top-ranked $577,317 from 75 screens), but looked awful in the United Arab Emirates ($102,840 from 19 screens). In Russia, it fell 40 percent for a $6 million total.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
