Around the World Roundup: '300' Resurrected
At the foreign weekend box office which was delayed due to the Easter holiday, 300 edged out Mr. Bean's Holiday with $31.9 million from 61 countries, lifting its total to $175.6 million. Two key openings bolstered business: In Germany, the computer-generated battle picture debuted to $6.7 million, which was on par with X-Men: The Last Stand. Australia's $4.3 million start from 337 screens was even more impressive, eclipsing such past Spring blockbusters as The Passion of the Christ, Ice Age: The Meltdown and Hitch.

300's holdovers reported standard 50 percent or more fall-outs, but notable countries included Brazil with a $2.2 million weekend (distributor Warner Bros.' largest ever there) and Spain with a $2.2 million third weekend, down 38 percent drop. Greece ($10.8 million through five weekends) and South Korea ($17 million through fourth) continued to shine. 300's next key release will be Japan on June 9.

In second place, Mr. Bean's Holiday drew around $31 million over the weekend for an overseas tally of $87 million (and it has since crossed $100 million on Tuesday). Among openings, the comedy's most impressive by far came from Hong Kong, where it nabbed $1.3 million from only 33 screens. In Italy, it started strongly but within expectations at $2.5 million from 244 screens, while its Latin American openings were modest, including Brazil's $792,480, Peru's $128,345 and Chile's $68,276.

Playing off school holidays in some markets, Mr. Bean's Holiday held up outstandingly. In Finland, it grew 10 percent over its opening for a $1.7 million total. Australia was down just six percent, Germany off only 18 percent and the United Kingdom fell a predictable 39 percent.

Meet the Robinsons remained in third place with an $8.8 million weekend for a $25.2 million total. As planned, the computer-animated comedy had small drops thanks to the school holidays that took effect across Europe. It was down just two percent in Spain, 14 percent in the U.K. and 30 percent in Mexico. Its 14 openings were in smaller markets so there was little to report.

New entry The Reaping had a solid $6.9 million foreign debut from 16 markets. Horror-loving Spain led the way with $2.3 million, which was highest than The Omen (2006) and Silent Hill. Mexico followed suit with $1.5 million and Taiwan had $843,000, each of which topped both Grudge pictures. The Reaping disappointed in Italy, however, with only $607,000 from 230 screens, and it next strikes France, Germany and the U.K. in two weeks.

TMNT claimed fifth place with a $4.1 million weekend for a $16.3 million tally. The fourth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie had a fifth place, $100,114 debut in New Zealand but wasn't noteworthy elsewhere.

Receiving its worldwide premiere in eight markets over the weekend, Sunshine launched slowly. In its home market, the U.K., the science fiction thriller debuted in fourth place, grossing $2 million from 407 screens. It played stronger in the Southeast Asian markets, including Hong Kong ($267,000), Taiwan ($442,000) and Singapore ($198,000). Sunshine will open virtually everywhere in the month of April with the notable exception of the U.S., which still doesn't have a release date.

Domestic's current top dog Blades of Glory had its foreign debut in the U.K., grossing a disappointing $2 million from 361 screens over the weekend. The start was slightly higher than the last Will Ferrell comedy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and it doubled Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, but neither was impressive to begin with.

Are We Done Yet? also opened internationally but was anemic with dismal starts in Australia ($334,970 from 175 screens) and Mexico ($401,335 from 250).

RELATED LINKS

• Foreign Weekend Box Office Results

• International Box Office Results Home Page