INTERNATIONAL: WEEKEND REPORT

June 27-29, 2003

Around the World Round Up
by
Kenan Bresnan

Early Edition-

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle defied its domestic preem with fantastic openings in 11 international markets.  All told Full Throttle bagged approximately $13.2m from 1,267 screens.  The sequel was No. 1 in nine territories, but had to settle for No. 2 behind local rookies in South Korea and Hong Kong.

The film grabbed an estimated $6.2m on 467 screens, nudging The Matrix Reloaded right out of the top spot, which it had held for three straight weeks.  The debut, which included $1.2m in previews, doubled the original picture's opening.  The femme fighters drummed up roughly $2.3m on 172 in South Korea (57% bigger than the first Angles and behind local title Crazy First Love), $800,000 on 50 in the Philippines (60% ahead), $750,000 on 49 in Singapore (50% better), $740,000 on 153 in Thailand (40% higher), and $500,000 on 44 in Malaysia (38% ahead), and $257,026 in Hong Kong (20% below the original and behind local vampire action comedy The Twins Effect).

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle did excellent in European markets as well picking up an estimated $670,000 on 101 in Switzerland, $500,000 on 88 in Norway, and $370,000 on 70 in Denmark (25% bigger than the original).

Columbia TriStar Int'l will release the sequel next weekend in 33 markets, including the U.K., Italy, Australia, and Taiwan.

Bruce Almighty, however, was the frame's top-grosser, grossing an estimated $23.9m from 2,414 screens in 17 markets, elevating its total to $71.5m.

The Jim Carrey laffer's best territory was, by far, in the U.K., where it grossed about $11.8m, including $3.6m from previews.  That would make it the 12th highest opening movie of all time.  In Spain in grossed $3.6m and $1.1m in the Netherlands (a BVI record in ticket sales).

Bruce Almighty has a divine $14.6m through its third orbit in Germany (still No. 1), $7.1m after its fourth in Brazil, and $6.4m in 11 days in Australia (falling a moderate 38%).

The Hulk was No. 3 in the international market, grossing $11.3m on 1,652 screens in 14 territories (excluding some Latin American territories) pushing its total to $15,667,692 with 32 territories still to open in. The Hulk expanded into 12 more territories last weekend and was No. 1 in all of them.  The film opened to an excellent $1.2m on 83 playdates in Taiwan.  In Australia The Hulk grossed a very good $2.2m on 221 playdates.  In New Zealand the film grossed $325,000 on 52 screens. 

Mexico's $4.6m ($850,000 on 340 of previews) debut on 516 playdates passed The Lost World: Jurassic Park's debut of $3.3m to become Universal's biggest opening ever in Mexico.  With 2 Fast 2 Furious Universal controls a massive 63% of the marketplace there.  For comparison The Matrix Reloaded opened with $4m (no previews), X2 opened with $3.3m (no previews), and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers opened with $3.1m (no previews).

The Hulk had an estimated $1.2m debut over the weekend in Brazil at 286 playdates, which is Universal's 8th biggest opening in the market. In South Africa the film had a tremendous opening day of $110,000 on 84 screens on Friday, which was Universal's 8th biggest ever in that market.  In Panama and Central America, The Hulk opened very strongly across the region on Friday.  Panama grossed $21,000 and recorded the second biggest opening day of the year behind The Matrix Reloaded.  Costa Rica record the third biggest opening day of the year and Nicaragua was a UIP opening day record with $10,000.

The Hulk will open in 9 more countries next weekend including France, Germany, Spain, and South Korea.

2 Fast 2 Furious took very large dips in many territories, but still was No. 4 in the international marketplace with an $11.1m weekend at 3,147 playdates in 22 territories pushing its total to $54,118,138.  It's best drop, 45%, was in Italy where it grossed $614,000 on 160 screens, pushing its 10-day tally there to $2.4m.  Elsewhere the drop was much bigger.  The film fell 55% in the U.K., collaring $8.2m in 10 days.  2 Fast 2 Furious plunged 71% in Germany taking $7.1m in 11 days and was down 47% in Spain where it has $3.9m in 10 days.

2 Fast 2 Furious has 20 more territories to open in including Japan on August 23.

The Matrix Reloaded, unseated by Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle in Japan, still managed an impressive $5.1m weekend in its fourth weekend (down just 21%), hoisting its territory total to a socko $63.1m.  Warner Brothers stated that without Charlie's Angel's previews Reloaded would have remained No.1. Over the weekend The Matrix Reloaded grossed $9.94m from 4,980 screens in 60 countries.  It now has $397.2m to date.
 

Next weekend The Hulk  debuts in 9 more countries including France, Germany, Spain, and South Korea.  Finding Nemo expands in Latin American, including Brazil and Mexico, along with Israel.  Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle hits 33 markets, including the U.K., Italy, Australia, and Taiwan.  Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines debuts day-and-date in Russia, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.  Sinbad: The Legend of the Seven Seas debuts day-and-day in Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina.  The Hulk receives a whopping 805 screens in France and debuts next to Nos enfants cheris (198) and Livraison à domicile (122).  Full Throttle handles 450 screens in the U.K. along with Dark Blue (210).

These are my predicted foreign totals for the selected films. (Red is the predicted total while blue is the current gross).

The Hulk: Impressive debuts still leave the question: can it perform as well in Europe?  Methinks yes.  I predict this film will go the way of Planet of the Apes (which took in $179.3m) and finish with around $185m. $15,667,692

2 Fast 2 Furious:  This film is poised to outdo the original's $ total and should be a surefire hit abroad based on its original markets.  Look for $92m. $54,118,138

The Matrix Reloaded: Outstanding numbers across the board.  It has $300 already and just entered Japan.  With late bloomers possibly in India (June 13) and China (TBD) this movie has a good chance at $429m. $397.2m

Finding Nemo: Watch out The Matrix Reloaded!  The U.S. success of not only box office, but word-of-mouth should be translated into gold overseas.  Family films always to well and the lack of the genre lately should equal outstanding success for this little fish.  Japan especially should bring in the numbers.  Look for a total of $357 or more!  $15m

Bruce Almighty: Looking at is early Asian debuts and stunning success in Italy, Jim Carrey's latest comedy looks to not only have domestic success, but also wow the international markets.  The film's comedic appeal seems to be resonating overseas and the result should be spectacular.  Due to Italian success, Germany should been one of Bruce Almighty's standout markets along with the usual U.K. and Australia.  The film has the chance to break out in Japan, but that will have to wait until after August.  A total of $200m could be accumulated.  $71.5m

Johnny English:  Look for a final total of $136.8m when all is said and down.  Its best performances will be in Asia, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. $113,411,436

X-Men 2:  When the original came out, it wasn't that big of a success.  It grossed $137.6m in international sales, which is worthy of a sequel, but doesn't seem to equate to $200m+ business, which would be a mega-blockbuster.  However, Fox has pushed this film outstandingly hard and with the lack of really impressive business in the last month X-Men 2 looks to secure outstanding business.  Until The Matrix Reloaded debuts X-Men 2 should control almost every single territory for two weeks in a row.  Now that equates to big business.  Look for an opening weekend gross (internationally) of $57m and a week total of around $85m.  In two weeks it should be pressing $200m with $175m and will likely cross $200m the week The Matrix Reloaded debuts.  Look for a final total of $195m when all is said and down.  Its best performances will be in Asia, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. $187m

Catch Me If You Can: $174,689,863

Gangs of New York: $114,785,061

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: $577,382,917

Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets: $604,608,624

My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Still has Japan to go on July 19, 2003. $115,482,163

*Numbers are changed whenever a market produces unexpected numbers.

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INTERNATIONAL: WEEKEND REPORT