Around the World Roundup: 'Pirates' Loot Another Victory
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest handily ruled the foreign box office for the fourth weekend in a row. Driven by a massive opening in Germany, the supernatural swashbuckler raked in $55.3 million over the weekend for a $301.9 million total.
In Germany, Dead Man's Chest topped the debuts of all previous Harry Potter, Star Wars and Matrix movies with $17.5 million from 903 screens. It was the third-largest start ever in the market, behind only the last two Lord of the Rings pictures. Pirates also ranked among the all time top three openings in Austria, with $2.8 million from 105 screens, and in German-speaking Switzerland, with $1.8 million. In Belgium, it had one of the five best starts ever with $2.2 million from 125 screens.
Dead Man's Chest held well in Japan, grossing $5.9 million from 761 screens for a $32.5 million two-week total. Elsewhere, the picture stands at $12.3 million in Mexico, $6.6 million and Brazil and a staggering $72.5 million in the United Kingdom after just four weeks.
In its U.K. debut, Cars trumped Buena Vista International stable mate, Pirates, with a first place $5.1 million. However, it was disappointing relative to past Pixar releases Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and Toy Story 2, each of which opened above $10 million. Overall, Cars made $9.9 million over the weekend for a $111.7 million tally.
In its international debut, You, Me and Dupree was welcomed Down Under with a solid $1.9 million from 217 screens, which was close to United International Pictures stable mate The Break-Up's launch earlier this summer. Dupree also opened in New Zealand, grossing $188,110 from 41 screens.
Also making its first foreign splash, Miami Vice infiltrated the top spot in three Southeast Asian territories. In Taiwan, it made $438,024 from 55 screens, while, in Thailand, it grossed $407,778 from 51 screens and, in Indonesia, it netted $241,002 from 50. Miami Vice is unlikely to reach director Michael Mann's previous picture, Collateral, which ultimately grossed $116.7 million, but it should top Stealth's disappointing $44.8 million.
Monster House also had its overseas debut in Southeast Asia. In Hong Kong, the computer-animated feature generated a third-ranked $412,449 from 29 screens. It was a solid start, and distributor Sony will look to improve on its previous family duds Yours, Mine and Ours ($18.5 million overall total), RV ($12.8 million) and Zathura ($30.1 million).
Superman Returns continued its gradual slowdown with a sturdy $12.3 million from 50 markets. Its $131.6 million total will get a big boost from debuts in German (on Aug. 17) and Japan (on Aug. 19). Debuts keeping in line with the picture's previous performances were Sweden ($499,000 from 90 prints) and Norway ($484,000 from 75). However, in burgeoning Russia, it faltered with a disappointing $913,000 from 294 screens.
The latest fiascoes in Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties' foreign run came from South Korea ($476,000 from 93 screens), Taiwan ($197,000 from 105) and Israel ($102,000 from 34). The family sequel, however, had a decent start in Mexico, with $1.6 million from 671 screens, and has snared $22.9 million overall.
Domestic tanker Poseidon had an excellent opening in Spain with a first place $3.4 million from 410 prints, bettering the debuts of such past disaster pictures as Armageddon and The Perfect Strom by more than 65 percent. Poseidon's overall total improved to $114.5 million.
In Germany, Dead Man's Chest topped the debuts of all previous Harry Potter, Star Wars and Matrix movies with $17.5 million from 903 screens. It was the third-largest start ever in the market, behind only the last two Lord of the Rings pictures. Pirates also ranked among the all time top three openings in Austria, with $2.8 million from 105 screens, and in German-speaking Switzerland, with $1.8 million. In Belgium, it had one of the five best starts ever with $2.2 million from 125 screens.
Dead Man's Chest held well in Japan, grossing $5.9 million from 761 screens for a $32.5 million two-week total. Elsewhere, the picture stands at $12.3 million in Mexico, $6.6 million and Brazil and a staggering $72.5 million in the United Kingdom after just four weeks.
In its U.K. debut, Cars trumped Buena Vista International stable mate, Pirates, with a first place $5.1 million. However, it was disappointing relative to past Pixar releases Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and Toy Story 2, each of which opened above $10 million. Overall, Cars made $9.9 million over the weekend for a $111.7 million tally.
In its international debut, You, Me and Dupree was welcomed Down Under with a solid $1.9 million from 217 screens, which was close to United International Pictures stable mate The Break-Up's launch earlier this summer. Dupree also opened in New Zealand, grossing $188,110 from 41 screens.
Also making its first foreign splash, Miami Vice infiltrated the top spot in three Southeast Asian territories. In Taiwan, it made $438,024 from 55 screens, while, in Thailand, it grossed $407,778 from 51 screens and, in Indonesia, it netted $241,002 from 50. Miami Vice is unlikely to reach director Michael Mann's previous picture, Collateral, which ultimately grossed $116.7 million, but it should top Stealth's disappointing $44.8 million.
Monster House also had its overseas debut in Southeast Asia. In Hong Kong, the computer-animated feature generated a third-ranked $412,449 from 29 screens. It was a solid start, and distributor Sony will look to improve on its previous family duds Yours, Mine and Ours ($18.5 million overall total), RV ($12.8 million) and Zathura ($30.1 million).
Superman Returns continued its gradual slowdown with a sturdy $12.3 million from 50 markets. Its $131.6 million total will get a big boost from debuts in German (on Aug. 17) and Japan (on Aug. 19). Debuts keeping in line with the picture's previous performances were Sweden ($499,000 from 90 prints) and Norway ($484,000 from 75). However, in burgeoning Russia, it faltered with a disappointing $913,000 from 294 screens.
The latest fiascoes in Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties' foreign run came from South Korea ($476,000 from 93 screens), Taiwan ($197,000 from 105) and Israel ($102,000 from 34). The family sequel, however, had a decent start in Mexico, with $1.6 million from 671 screens, and has snared $22.9 million overall.
Domestic tanker Poseidon had an excellent opening in Spain with a first place $3.4 million from 410 prints, bettering the debuts of such past disaster pictures as Armageddon and The Perfect Strom by more than 65 percent. Poseidon's overall total improved to $114.5 million.
