‘Beauty And The Beast’ Nears $700M WW; ‘Kong’ Has Mighty $72M China Bow, Tops $250M Offshore – International Box Office
UPDATE, WRITETHRU with actuals: The international box office waltz was led again this frame by Disney’s Beauty And The Beast with a $120.6M sophomore session – up $1.4M from Sunday’s estimate and down less than 35% from opening last weekend. The global cume is $693.5M through Sunday, making the Bill Condon-directed live-action tuner the No. 1 movie of 2017 to date worldwide. It’s also tops internationally ($374.5M) and domestically ($319M).
In China, Beauty gave way to a beast of a different sort as Warner Bros/Legendary’s Kong: Skull Island had a chest-pounding start there that pushed the fairy tale off its No. 1 perch (Belle held tight to princely No. 1s in most markets, though — and scored March’s biggest ever sophomore frame in the UK).
On Friday, Kong scored the 2nd biggest English-language opening of 2017 and went on to stomp out a $72.1M FSS launch on 18,000 screens. (In IMAX, the $6.5M debut is the all-time top March opening.) This week in China, Kong is poised to surpass WB/Legendary’s 2014 monster movie, Godzilla, which grossed about $78M there.
With a full $93M this session (stable from Sunday’s estimate), the offshore Kong cume is $258.9M for a global $392.1M. The well-reviewed pic is expensive, though, at $185M along with an estimated global P&A of $136M, and only about 25% of receipts come back from China. Japan also opened this frame — see more detail in the breakdown below
Another film that saw increases from Sunday’s projection, and which took some by surprise, was DreamWorks Animation/Fox’s Boss Baby which adopted $17.6M in the actuals, versus $16.3M in Sunday’s estimate. That’s from only five markets which were led by Russia and a better-than-projected $11.2M. It looks well set up for the bigger rollout this week, although there is a lot of competition in the family space.
Back to BATB. Over the weekend, it became the 4th consecutive Walt Disney Studios release to pass $600M global, after Doctor Strange, Moana and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It also helped push the Mouse across $1B at the worldwide box office during last week. The studio’s estimated total through Sunday is $1.3B.
Elsewhere, Lionsgate/Saban’s Power Rangers morphed into an $18.7M debut in 62 overseas markets and Columbia/Skydance’s Life found $16.1M in 56 markets.
In continued play, Sony’s Passengers reached $200M overseas thanks to a $1.5M start in Japan, and Illumination/Universal’s Sing reached $600M at the global box office.
With nearly $300M across the Top 10 titles at international turnstiles, this weekend is about on par with last frame. It’s down on the comparable 2016 session which straddled the Easter holiday and saw the massive $254M opening of Batman V Superman. Combined with other pics in play last year, the Top 10 grossed about $360M back then. A key similarity to that session was that much like this one, Disney had a film about to cross $700M global in Zootopia.
Next week sees Paramount’s Ghost In The Shell go pretty much day-and-date outside of China, Japan and Denmark while Sony’s Smurfs: The Lost Village sets up house in majors like Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. China gets The Devotion Of Suspect X and Bang Jia Ahe with Monster Hunt’s Baihe Bai.
Breakdowns and actuals on this weekend’s titles have been updated below.
NEW
SABAN’S POWER RANGERS
From Lionsgate, the franchise reboot saw its debut weekend morph into an $18.7M launch in 62 markets. The best plays were in Latin America, with Mexico opening at No. 2 with $2.7M and Brazil grabbing $2.3M, also at No. 2.
The UK also opened at No. 2 with $2M. In Asia, the smaller plays like Malaysia and the Philippines did well with $1.7M and $1.1M, respectively. Of course there’s a beauty and her great beast traipsing around the globe and they’re still taking a lot of oxygen out of the markets.
However, the film is skewing younger internationally than it is with domestic audiences and that’s particularly true in Europe. Missing from the Top 5 slots were such majors as Germany and Russia.
The brand itself, created by Haim Saban and Japan’s Toei, has logged some TV 831 episodes, with toy sales well above $6B. A Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers feature was previously released by Fox back in 1995. Some have been comping this Power Rangers (est prod cost $100M) to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise reboot that Paramount kicked off in 2014. The first of those films went on to $302M overseas after strong opening reviews. Last year’s Out Of The Shadows served up $163.6M on the offshore half-shell. However, both of those were summer releases so are not perfect guides.
The next big dates on the Dean Israelite-helmed Rangers are in France, Italy and Spain the week of April 5. Notably still to come are Korea and Japan later down the line.
BOSS BABY
From DreamWorks Animation, the Fox release has nothing to cry about in Russia where a $11.2M No. 1 opening is Fox’s biggest ever on an animated title. The Tom McGrath-helmed pic stars Alec Baldwin (in the English-language version) as the eponymous besuited infant who infiltrates the Templeton family house with an agenda beyond just learning to crawl. The total offshore debut was $17.6M in five markets and on 2,139 screens.
Australia adopted this baby to the tune of $4M at No. 2. Peru was next with $948K at No. 2 and bigger than Despicable Me 2. Ukraine came in at No.1 with $603K (more than double Megamind whose IBO final was $173.5M), and Chile was also over that film with $782K at No. 1.
There is a lot of competition in the family space during school holidays over the next several weeks, but the new concept appears to be clicking thus far. Another comp here to keep an eye on is DWA’s Home which released in March 2015 and went on to $209M offshore.
Boss Baby waddles into 36 more markets next frame.
LIFE
The sci-fi thriller from Columbia Pictures and Skydance Media debuted to $16.1M in 56 competitive markets on 7,400. screens. For the same bucket, the opening is 7% over Predators and 14% shy of Arrival at current exchange rates. The reported $58M budgeted pic still has 40% of its international footprint to roll out.
Offshore play on the Jake Gyllenhaal/Ryan Reynolds-starrer was led by Russia with $3.1M from 1,305 screens. That was good for No. 2. In Germany, the pic debuted at No. 3 behind Beauty And The Beast and a new local title.
In comps, Arrival, which is still in release, has grossed $97.5M internationally. Predators rounded up $75M across its 2010 release. Director Daniel Espinosa’s 2012 Safe House hit $82M offshore and his 2015 Child 44 came in at $10.5M.
Life breathes into more major markets over the coming weeks including Korea (April 5), Spain (April 7), France (April 19) and Brazil (April 20).
THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE
Universal/Focus’ WWII drama and Jessica Chastain-starrer had its international launch in Poland this session with $164K. The adaptation of Diane Ackerman’s book is based on the true story of the keepers at the Warsaw Zoo who helped to save hundreds of Jews during the German invasion of Poland. Per Uni, positive reviews and word of mouth position it for a long run. The Niki Caro-helmed pic rolls out over the next few months with Turkey, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia bowing next frame.
HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Disney had another monster weekend with Beauty And The Beast picking up $120.6M at the international box office for a dip of less than 35% from opening last week. The global cume is $693.5M through Sunday which will push across $700M through Monday. The Bill Condon-directed live-action tuner is the No. 1 movie of 2017 worldwide, internationally and domestically. The offshore total in 50 material markets to date is $374.5M.
New openings included France ($8.4M with previews) where the film is 4% ahead of The Jungle Book; 97% ahead of Maleficent; and 144% ahead of Cinderella. Easter holidays start next Friday in the Paris area. Australia was also a debut this weekend at No. 1 with $11.1M including previews. The start is 112% ahead of Jungle Book, 194% ahead of Cinderella and 217% better than Maleficent.
In Argentina, BATB took $4.4M at No. 1 with 73% market share. This is the top opening of 2017 and the 2nd highest ever in live-action admissions, behind only Furious 7. It’s playing 67% ahead of Jungle Book and 98% ahead of Maleficent.
In holds, the UK saw the Emma Watson/Dan Stevens-starrer score the 3rd biggest 2nd weekend ever (behind Bond pics Skyfall and Spectre) and March’s biggest ever sophomore frame. The cume there is $48.8M.
That’s currently the No. 2 market behind China’s $73.4M. Rounding out the Top 5 are Mexico ($23.8M), Brazil ($23.6M) and Korea ($23.2M).
Many markets saw only slight dips including: Portugal (-18%), Finland (-19%), Spain (-23%), Korea (-25%), Taiwan (-27%), Colombia (-28%), Turkey (-31%), Brazil (-32%), Austria (-32%), Italy (-36%), Poland (-36%), Vietnam (-37%), Hong Kong (-38%) and Germany (-39%).
Overall in Europe, BATB was No. 1 for the weekend in all markets with the exception of Turkey and Ukraine. Across Latin America, it’s tops in all territories. In Asia, Kong: Skull Island muscled in on No. 1, with BATB maintaining that spot in Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.
In an IMAX fairy tale, the Bill Condon-helmed pic grossed $8.1M on 617 screens for a worldwide cume of $33.6M after 10 days. Of that, $13.5M is from international.
Next frame, Belle and the gang head to the Netherlands, New Zealand, Chile and Malaysia. In the latter, Disney stood its ground and was granted a release with no cuts after censors had angled to get more than four minutes chopped. Japan will be enchanted on April 21.
KONG: SKULL ISLAND
Planting a huge footprint in China, Warner Bros/Legendary’s Kong: Skull Island grossed $93M this weekend on 34,500 screens in 67 markets. The international cume is now $258.9M.
The Middle Kingdom was the ape in the room with $72.1M on 18,000 screens (it doesn’t hurt that China’s largest exhibitor, Wanda, is Legendary’s parent company). The Jordan Vogt-Roberts-directed movie that stars Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson, led with 71% market share. Its debut makes it the No. 2 biggest weekend for an import in 2017. It also more than doubled the start of Godzilla and is 82% ahead of Pacific Rim.
Chinese actress Jing Tian also features in the film and Larson, Hiddleston and Samuel L Jackson were in Beijing two weeks ago to attend the premiere. This frame also gave IMAX the all-time biggest March launch ever in the market at $6.5M from 387 screens. That’s better than last year’s March monster, Batman V Superman, which grossed $6.1M at open in the format.
With the Tomb Sweeping holiday coming up in China, it’ll be interesting to watch what happens with Kong. It should have solid legs (and has the benefit of local giants Wanda and Tencent being involved), although last year’s BVS suffered under the weight of new local pics that entered multiplexes in its sophomore weekend. Regardless, important to bear in mind that whatever the final in China, KSI is subject to the typical 25%-27% rental for U.S. pics.
Kong also roared into Japan on $3.5M from 675 screens, narrowly ranking No. 2 for the Sat/Sun frame behind the 2nd frame of Sing, although it was No. 1 in the Saturday opening. The start is 57% ahead of Pacific Rim, 51% over Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and 48% bigger than Mad Max: Fury Road. Godzilla bowed to $6.7M there in 2014.
The Top 5 international markets are now China ($72.1M), the UK ($16.2M), Mexico ($12.8M), Korea ($12M) and Russia ($10.2M).
LOGAN
With a further $12M in 79 markets, Logan’s 4th session brings its international cume to $364M. The hold was good in Brazil ($1.7M) where the Hugh Jackman-starrer is now Fox’s 3rd biggest movie ever. The cume there is $26.7M. France ($1.15M) dipped 31% for $13.5M to date, and the UK clawed out another $939K for $27M so far. The top offshore play is China with $104.7M through the run. Japan will welcome the weary X-Man on June 1.
SPLIT
Brazil welcomed M Night Shyamalan’s worldwide hit with $1.5M this weekend to land 4th place, but the top spot amongst the director’s openings in the market. In total, the Blumhouse/Universal psychological thriller added $5.2M in 42 territories for an offshore cume of $128.1M. Globally, the take is $265.4M to date. In holds, Russia has grossed $7.7M in 11 days and France is at $11.4M after 5 frames. Japan is the final release on May 12.
SING
With a further $5.3M in 35 markets, Illumination/Universal’s animated pic tuned up an international cume of $331.5M and pushed to $601.2M global. Japan in its 2nd session rose to No. 1 at No. 2 with a 15% drop and has a 10-day total of $16.7M.
MISC UPDATED CUMES
A Dog’s Purpose (UNI/MS): $4.1M intl weekend (39 markets); $111.6M intl cume
Moana (DIS): $4M intl weekend (21 markets); $23.6M Japan (cume 3rd frame); $368.7M intl cume
Hidden Figures (FOX): $3M intl weekend (30 markets); $53.2M intl cume
Get Out (UNI): $1.9M intl weekend (11 markets); $6.7M intl cume
La La Land (LGF): $2M intl weekend (46 markets); $282.5M intl cume
Chips (WB): $1.8M intl debut (31 markets)
Passengers (SNY): $1.5M intl weekend (Japan only); $200M intl cume
The Lego Batman Movie (WB): $1.1M intl weekend (52 markets); $121.6M intl cume
Fifty Shades Darker (UNI): $1M intl weekend (39 markets); $263.5M intl cume
A Cure For Wellness (FOX): $580K intl weekend (17 markets); $14M intl cume
The Lost City Of Z (SC): $312K (UK only)
Manchester By The Sea (UNI): $339K intl weekend (13 markets); $14.6M Uni intl cume
The Great Wall (UNI): $137K intl weekend (26 markets); $285.5M intl cume
NEW LOCAL-LANGUAGE
Korea’s The Prison cornered $8.3M this weekend locally where Showbox is releasing. Per Kobiz, the Na Hyun-helmed thriller sees a troubled former cop doing jail time for a hit-and-run. Confined with inmates he himself put behind bars, he discovers a crime syndicate run by a powerful prisoner in cohoots with the warden and guards.
Fox International Productions and Fox Star’s Phillauri was a new release in India this frame with a No. 1 start at $2.9M. The full weekend was $3.1M including the UK. Anshai Lal directs the fantasy comedy that stars Anushka Sharma of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Sultan fame.
From Sony Pictures International Productions, Alex de la Iglesia’s El Bar opened No. 2 in Spain this weekend. The debut was worth $1.1M from 358 screens. The thriller centers on a group of people trapped inside a bar trying to survive a mysterious attack. It debuted at the Berlin Film Festival last month.
Related stories
'Beauty And The Beast' Waltzes Past $700M At Global Box Office
How Lionsgate Re-Charged 'Power Rangers' & Returned It To The Big Screen
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