Blanketing the foreign theatrical circuit over the weekend, Wrath of the Titans easily displaced The Hunger Games as the No. 1 box office attraction overseas, opening to an estimated $78 million at some 13,900 screens in 60 territories, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
That’s especially good news for distributor Warner Bros. since the 3D action-fantasy sequel’s 2010 predecessor, Clash of the Titans, drew $332 million from overseas theaters – more than double its comparable U.S. and Canada box office total.
The special-effects-laden extrapolation from Greek mythology with Sam Worthington returning as Perseus, Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades took the No. 1 spot in 46 markets, notably in nine of the top 12 international territories including Korea, France ($3.3 million from 455 venues) and Italy ($1.7 million from 361 situations).
Strongest territories for Wrath were Russia ($14 million from 1,161 venues representing 18% of the total weekend foreign take), Mexico ($5 million from 1,434 sites) and Brazil ($3.9 million at 522 situations). The film was ranked No. 1 in 11 markets across Latin America.
Wrath’s weekend’s foreign take is nearly two-and-a-half- times its day-and-date, No. 2 domestic opening gross ($34.2 million). Internationally, IMAX reported weekend Wrath takings of $4 million from 176 screens – or $22,000 per site – with Russia contributing about $55,000 per-screen at 19 IMAX locations.
While Wrath is off to a muscular overseas start in comparison with its domestic action, Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games is experiencing just the opposite commercial reception. Taking a No. 2 back seat offshore this round, the film is performing over two frames far better domestically than it is abroad.
Opening No. 1 with $59.3 million last round (versus $152.5 million in the U.S. and Canada), the action/sci-fi vehicle starring Jennifer Lawrence dipped 41% in its second weekend, drawing $34.8 million. The film’s foreign gross total stands at $113.9 million versus the $251 million cume logged domestically.
Still in all, Games looks destined for a No. 1 slot in the U.K. with a $4.3 million weekend at some 510 locales, lifting the market cume to $15.1 million. The weekend in Australia generated $5.1 million from about 270 sites, pushing the market cume there to $17 million over two rounds. In Germany, the No. 1 weekend take was $3.3 million derived from some 630 situations for an $8.7 million market total.
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,Universal’s 3-D animation adapted from the classic children’s book, finished No. 3 after opening in 17 markets including Mexico (No. 2 with $2.7 million from 542 sites). Weekend overall provided $14.5 million drawn from 4,100 playdates in 43 markets. Overseas cume stands at $37.7 million.
Fourth was Sony Animation/Aardman’s coproduction of The Pirates! Band of Misfits, which opened offshore at 2,749 screens in a dozen territories, and collected $7.8 million. Sony said the family animation adventure featuring the voices of Hugh Grant and Selma Hayek placed second in the U.K., grossing $3.6 million at 891 situations.
No. 5 was 20th Century Fox International’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the comedy-drama starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, which grossed $6.25 million at 1,932 screens in 27 territories, lifting its foreign cume to $43.8 million.
Disney’s John Carter has grossed so far $188.3 million overseas in contrast to its $66.2 domestic cume. Weekend offshore brought in $6.2 million from playdates in 54 markets. Sony’s reinterpretation of vintage tv’s 21 Jump Street has logged a foreign gross of $22.2 million since it opened offshore on March 14. On the weekend, the comedy vehicle for Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum drew $4 million from 760 screens in 15 territories.
Fox’s romantic comedy This Means War elevated its foreign cume to $83.6 million thanks to a $2.8 million weekend gathered at 2,517 screens in 44 markets. Top local language newcomer in France was No. 3 ranked Mince Alors!, UGC Distrtbution’s release of director Charlotte de Turckheim’s comedy about women with weight challenges. Opening round generated an estimated $2.2 million at 350 screens.
Other international cumes: Warner's Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, $214.5 million; DreamWorks Animation/Paramount’s Puss In Boots, $399.7 million; Warner's Project X, $24.2 million;DreamWorks/Disney’s War Horse, $97.2 million; Fox’s In Time, $130.9 million; Paramount’s The Devil Inside, $46.4 million; Studio Canal’s Cloclo, $12 million in France only; Fox’s Chronicle, $56.9 million; Sony’s The Vow, $48.6 million; Universal’s Safe House, $72.7 million; Fox’s Star Wars – Episode I in 3D, $58.6 million; Hugo, $74.8 million in Paramount territories only; Universal’s Contraband, $26.6 million; Fox’s We Bought A Zoo, $31.6 million; and Universal’s Bel Ami, $1.8 million in opening Russia round at 375 situations.
