Around the World Roundup: 'Bourne' Reigns Supreme Again
The Bourne Ultimatum led the foreign box office again over the weekend with $20.8 million, a 32 percent boost over the previous weekend due to nine new markets. South Korea was the action thriller's biggest splash with a top-ranked $3.5 million start from 276 screens, beating four local wide releases. In France, the picture nabbed $4 million from 469 screens while, in neighboring Belgium, it earned $860,743 from 58 screens. Debuts in Norway ($789,483 from 73 screens), the Netherlands ($1 million from 93) and Sweden ($712,335 from 67) were outstanding. All of Ultimatum's openings exceeded its predecessors by 50 percent or more, and it now stands as the series' highest overall grosser at $125.1 million.
Buoyed by its opening in Italy, The Simpsons Movie rose to second place with $10 million for a $321.3 million total. In Italy, the cartoon comedy raked in a phenomenal $8.2 million from 616 screens, which was the biggest three-day launch of the year there and was on par with the debut of past blockbuster The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Grossing enough from its native Japan to rank third overall, Hero (2007) made $7.1 million for a $25.9 million total, down just 18 percent from its fantastic opening the previous weekend.
Hairspray climbed to fourth place with a $5.8 million weekend from 30 markets for a $43.6 million total. The musical danced atop Australia with a superb $2.9 million from 306 screens, besting past musical Chicago's start by 53 percent. Hairspray found similar success in New Zealand with a $303,126 opening from 70 screens. Continued strength in holdover markets accounted for the rest of its weekend gross.
Shrek the Third fell to fifth place on $5.7 million from 20 territories for a $459.3 million. It ended its foreign campaign on a moderate note in Greece ($855,645 opening from 117 screens), and it continued to tumble in Italy, losing 51 percent of its business there, and to hold well in Scandinavia, including Norway's 22 percent drop.
Premiering internationally, Superbad had a relatively softer reception than it did domestically. In the United Kingdom, it opened to a laudable $3 million from 419 screens, but that was less than Knocked Up's start and wasn't enough to dethrone holdover Run, Fat Boy, Run. In New Zealand, the teen comedy debuted with $144,186 from 52 screens, ranking fifth in the market. This weekend, Superbad will have its first non-English language test in Italy and Denmark.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
Buoyed by its opening in Italy, The Simpsons Movie rose to second place with $10 million for a $321.3 million total. In Italy, the cartoon comedy raked in a phenomenal $8.2 million from 616 screens, which was the biggest three-day launch of the year there and was on par with the debut of past blockbuster The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Grossing enough from its native Japan to rank third overall, Hero (2007) made $7.1 million for a $25.9 million total, down just 18 percent from its fantastic opening the previous weekend.
Hairspray climbed to fourth place with a $5.8 million weekend from 30 markets for a $43.6 million total. The musical danced atop Australia with a superb $2.9 million from 306 screens, besting past musical Chicago's start by 53 percent. Hairspray found similar success in New Zealand with a $303,126 opening from 70 screens. Continued strength in holdover markets accounted for the rest of its weekend gross.
Shrek the Third fell to fifth place on $5.7 million from 20 territories for a $459.3 million. It ended its foreign campaign on a moderate note in Greece ($855,645 opening from 117 screens), and it continued to tumble in Italy, losing 51 percent of its business there, and to hold well in Scandinavia, including Norway's 22 percent drop.
Premiering internationally, Superbad had a relatively softer reception than it did domestically. In the United Kingdom, it opened to a laudable $3 million from 419 screens, but that was less than Knocked Up's start and wasn't enough to dethrone holdover Run, Fat Boy, Run. In New Zealand, the teen comedy debuted with $144,186 from 52 screens, ranking fifth in the market. This weekend, Superbad will have its first non-English language test in Italy and Denmark.
RELATED LINKS
• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results
• International Box Office Home Page
