Around-the-World Roundup: 'Guardians' Grabs Top Spot, 'Skyfall' Nears $1 Billion
Similar to the domestic box office, overseas markets are currently bracing for the upcoming debut of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. As a result, the top movie this weekend was Rise of the Guardians with a modest $26.2 million from 57 markets.

Guardians remained in first place in a handful of major territories including France ($3 million), the U.K. ($2.6 million), Italy ($2.5 million) and Mexico ($2.2 million). To date the DreamWorks Animation movie has earned just $90.9 million, and is set to expand in to Australia this coming weekend.

It may not be a resounding success domestically, but Life of Pi is doing very impressive business overseas so far. The movie added $23.3 million from 14 markets, which is only a fraction off from its $24.4 million gross last weekend. In China, it actually improved six percent to $14.6 million for a new total of $68.3 million, or more than the movie has made in the U.S. It also added $2.3 million in Taiwan, $2.1 million in Spain and $1.3 million in India. Life of Pi has already earned $104.6 million overseas, and it still has yet to open in nearly all of Europe and Latin America.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 added $22.6 million this weekend for a new total of $482.9 million. It's now the highest-grossing Twilight movie on both an overseas and a worldwide basis (over $750 million) ahead of Breaking Dawn Part 1; by the end of its run, it should get to around $800 million worldwide.

International sensation Skyfall grossed around $20 million from 84 territories this weekend. In Australia it took first place for the third-straight frame with $4.8 million, bringing its total to a Bond-record of $33.5 million. Meanwhile, in Japan it fell 40 percent to $3.3 million for a total of $13.2 million. Finally, in the U.K. it's now the highest-grossing movie ever with $154.5 million.

Skyfall's overseas total reached $656.7 million, which ranks fourth all-time among 2D-only movies behind Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Adding in its domestic tally, Skyfall has so far earned over $918 million, and it's looking more and more likely that it will reach $1 billion after opening in China next month.

Playing for Keeps bombed in the U.S., but may be able to perform a bit better overseas: the Gerard Butler rom-com scored a very solid $2 million opening in Russia this weekend.

Other Notables - Weekend Gross - Gross-to-Date (in millions)

Wreck-It Ralph - $5.8 - $51.1

Pitch Perfect - $4 - $8.95

Hotel Transylvania - $4 - $158.1

Anna Karenina - $2.7 - $14.4

Here Comes the Boom - $2.4 - $13.8

Cloud Atlas - $1.6 - $36.3

Killing Them Softly - $1.5 - $17.4

The Impossible - $1.5 - $56.6

Intouchables - $1.1 - $409



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