China’s ‘Wolf’ Leads Pack; ‘Dunkirk’ Channels $314M WW; ‘Valerian’ Crosses $50M Overseas – International Box Office
TUESDAY UPDATE (with actuals & Valerian figures): Far and away the leader of the pack, Wolf Warriors 2 ran off with the weekend at the international box office. That was thanks to a China performance that pushed it to $470M through Sunday, and to an all-time record-breaking RMB 3.4B ($506M) through Monday midnight to become the biggest movie ever in the Middle Kingdom. (See below and here for more on WW2‘s massive performance.)
With Hollywood currently kept on the sidelines in China, and no new wide releases in the rest of the market, several films carried on in holdovers and expansions. Actuals remained largely in line with Sunday’s estimates. Despicable Me 3 ($640.7M intl cume) and Dunkirk ($181.1M intl cume) both saw slight upward bumps overseas. DM3 is closing in on Toy Story 3 as the 6th highest-grossing animated film ever internationally.
Numbers also finally came through on Monday for Luc Besson’s Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets. The expensive space epic now has a $51.7M cume (breakdown below).
Coming this week, Annabelle: Creation and The Dark Tower notably expand. There will be some new blood in Chinese blackout play, including The Adventurers, an action title with Jean Reno, Qi Shu and Andy Lau; and fastany romance Legend Of The Naga Pearls starring Darren Wang and Zhang Tianai.
But with projections as high as a staggering RMB 5B-6B ($746M-$895M), the one to continue watching will be Wu Jing’s Wolf.
Actuals for all films above and more have been updated below.
SUNDAY PM UPDATE, WRITETHRU: In another weekend crowded with holdovers, expansions and no new wide studio releases, the international box office was again led by China and blackout action smash Wolf Warriors 2. Now at an estimated $470M after 11 days, the film is on its way to devouring The Mermaid’s 2016 record as the biggest movie ever in the Middle Kingdom.
Hollywood is currently shut out of that market, but had business to get on with in the rest of the world. Fox’s War For The Planet Of The Apes came out swinging at No. 1 in each of its 14 new markets, including France, Brazil and Germany; and was the top studio movie this frame. The weekend added $31.5M to the critically praised film — its best score since offshore rollout began in mid-July — for an international total of $147.8M before Korea (August 15), China (September 15) and Japan (October 13) get in on the action.
The No. 2 Hollywood movie at offshore turnstiles, Dunkirk channeled $25.2M in its third voyage. In the UK, the running cume is $49.8M, surpassing the lifetime of Christopher Nolan’s Inception. The drop was 44% overall for an overseas cume of $181.1M and a global total at $314.2M. It crossed $300M on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Illumination/Universal’s Despicable Me franchise got even Gru-vier this weekend. It is now the top-grossing animated series ever worldwide with $3.532B, passing the Shrek films for the record. Despicable Me 3 has lifted its worldwide cume to $881.6M.
In other milestones, Universal’s The Mummy crossed $400M at the global box office.
New titles in soft rollout this session include Sony/MRC’s The Dark Tower with $8.2M in 19 markets (Russia was the only major); and New Line/Warner Bros’ Annabelle: Creation at a No. 1 $1.1M in Italy (only opening).
Turning back to Wolf Warriors 2, comScore has the sophomore FSS at $163M, a 30% hike from the opening three-day last week. The sequel that features a sort of Chinese Rambo in star (and director) Wu Jing will blow past The Mermaid’s $527M (RMB 3.39B) this week with local platform Maoyan predicting a huge RMB 3.8B ($565M) finish. That’s good news for Middle Kingdom coffers which had seen lackluster performances on local titles to date this year.
While we are waiting on estimates for Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, breakdowns on the films above and more have been updated below.
NEW
THE DARK TOWER
Sony’s Media Rights Capital co-production that’s based on Stephen King’s novel series is rolling out slowly overseas with Russia the only major this weekend. The English-language debut of A Royal Affair helmer Nicolaj Arcel topped a sluggish domestic box office with $19.5M; offshore it’s taken $8.2M.
The action fantasy bowed at No. 1 in 11 of 19 markets as The Gunslinger and The Man In Black faced off on 3,800+ screens. Russia launched to $4.34M from 2,150 screens.
Stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey should make for some of the draw internationally, led by the huge King brand and general curiosity with little in the way of major titles to come. The offshore release continues over the next three weeks, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, the UK, Spain, Korea, Brazil and Mexico.
ANNABELLE: CREATION
New Line/Warner Bros’ fourth film in the hit Conjuring series, and the prequel to 2014’s Annabelle ($257M WW) got dolled up in Italy this weekend, its first release ahead of the rest of the world. The No. 1 start was worth $1.1M on 279 screens. Results were on par with the previous Annabelle and The Conjuring 2, and came in 62% ahead of Lights Out, also directed by Creation’s David F Sandberg.
Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto star as a dollmaker and his wife whose daughter died 12 years earlier. They open their home to a nun, and several girls from a shuttered orphanage. But the shelter turns horrific as the possessed Annabelle sets her sights on the girls.
International box office on The Conjuring 2 rose more than 19% from the first film, while Annabelle did more than 62% of her business offshore. Mexico, Brazil, France, the UK and Indonesia were the biggest plays on that film.
Next weekend adds 38 international markets which go day-and-date with the U.S. including France, Russia, Korea, Australia and the UK.
HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
In its biggest expansion — and 2nd highest weekend gross — since international rollout began in mid-July, Fox’s well-reviewed threequel added $31.5M to the offshore battle from 10,792screens in 77 markets. France led the charge with $7.3M from 757 screens, followed by strong openings in Brazil ($4.3M) and Germany ($3.1M). Peru was particularly notable, breaking the record for the biggest August debut ever at $1.9M. It’s also Fox’s 3rd biggest of all time, only behind Ice Age 4 & 5. Argentina scored the best for Caesar and the franchise at $1.37M. The international cume stands at $147.8M, And, WFTPOTA now has a China date on September 15. Korea (August 15) and Japan (October 13) are also still to come.
DUNKIRK
After crossing $300M earlier in the weekend, Christopher Nolan’s WWII epic has amassed $181.1M internationally and $314.2M worldwide. The 3rd frame on the Warner Bros film was $25.2M from 9,501 screens in 63 markets.
The UK continues, natch, to be the lead play with another No. 1 hold and $6.1M on 1,207 screens. Maintaining a nearly 50% share of the Top 5 films, Dunkirk also had 14% of its weekend there in IMAX. The total local cume has topped Nolan’s Inception with $49.8M (£38.1M). Australia likewise held No. 1 and has a cume of $13M.
The Top 5 markets are the UK, followed by Korea ($20.1M), Australia, France ($12.8M) and Spain ($6.7M). In the Netherlands, Dunkirk is still No. 1 with a slight drop and a $4.7M cume that beats the lifetime of Nolan’s Interstellar. There are still Italy, China and Japan on deck.
DESPICABLE ME 3
Despicable Me 3’s $22.6M international weekend has helped propel the Illumination franchise to $3.532B globally. That gives Gru and the Minions bragging rights to leading the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time worldwide. The DM series includes the three Steve Carell-starring pics, along with 2015’s spinoff about the little yellow henchmen.
The Despicable movies passed the Shrek stable of pics that also includes Puss In Boots at $3.501B global. DM3 also outdid DM2’s $607.7M earlier this week to become the No. 7 biggest animated move of all time at the international box office.
DM3 is still in play in 64 territories where the international box office total is $640.7M. Combined North America, the worldwide heist is $881.6M.
New this frame was Slovenia (No. 1/$155K). In holds, Korea kept Gru and Dru at No. 3 behind two local titles (A Taxi Driver and The Battleship Island). The weekend estimate is $4.7M for a total of $17.1M. It will pass Minions today and The Secret Life Of Pets tomorrow to become the highest grossing Illumination movie ever in the market.
In Japan, DM3 dipped 29% during its 3rd frame. That total there is $28M across 16 days. As it wraps up in China, the film held at No. 6 behind five local blackout movies. The total there is now $149.2M (RMB 1.01B) to take it past Kung Fu Panda 3 (RMB 1.002B). That makes it the No. 2 animated movie of all time in the PROC behind Zootopia.
Following China, the top grossers are the UK ($51.7M), Brazil ($37.5M), Germany ($35.1M) and Mexico ($34.4M). Still on deck are Italy, Turkey and Greece.
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
Coming out of its 3rd frame of a staggered release, Luc Besson’s costly space epic has cumed $51.7M in 41 overseas markets. There were five new markets this session, led by the UK with $2.43M at No. 3 and Mexico with $2.42M, also bowing in 3rd place. Both figures include previews. Poland cruised to No. 1 with $540K while Croatia and Serbia held the No. 1 position again this weekend.
The full session was worth $16.4M. Although the passion project slipped to No. 3 in France, it has grossed $20.5M in Besson’s home market. France won’t be the savior some had hoped for based on decent early numbers, but it is likely to see slightly less frontloaded business given the demo who grew up with the comic book source material is not the same one that rushes out opening weekend.
In Germany, Valerian also had a good hold of -36% to bring the total there to $9.5M. Coming up this week are Australia/New Zealand, Brazil and Russia, as well as several smaller Latin American markets. Further major releases include Spain, Argentina, China, Korea and Italy throughout August and September.
THE EMOJI MOVIE
Sony Pictures Animation’s app adaptation grossed $11.9M this weekend from 4,800 screens in 21 markets. The opening is ahead of both Storks (2%) and Smurfs: The Lost Village (12%) in Sony comps, for the same new group of plays at current exchange rates. The international cume to date is $13.05M. Latin America provided $5.4M in seven markets, led by Mexico’s $2.9M on 1,664 screens.
The UK launched with $3.5M (including previews) on 780 screens, while Germany pulled in $1.2M from 835 screens. Releases continue overseas with Spain, Russia and Brazil throughout August followed by Australia in September and France in October.
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
Sony/Marvel’s Spidey spun another $9.8M on 6,870+ screens in 63 markets. Breakdowns are not available, but the cume is now $377.5M offshore with Japan on deck this coming weekend and China on September 8, ensuring at least a $400M+ snaring. Korea still leads the webslinger’s tally at an amazing $51.4M, followed by the UK ($34.8M), Brazil ($29.9M), Mexico ($26.7M) and Australia ($19M).
CARS 3
Disney/Pixar’s Cars 3 got off the line in France with $6M including previews to start 18% atop Finding Dory and 10% ahead of Inside Out. The full weekend in 27 material markets was $10M for an international cume of $138.8M. Other new plays included Taiwan where it’s the No. 1 Western film, and Switzerland.
Holds were strong in the Netherlands (-23%), Belgium (-28%), and Finland (-12%). Leading the overall markets is Mexico with $15.6M, followed by Japan ($11.8M), the UK ($11.5M), Russia ($10.5M) and Brazil ($10.3M). Key releases still to come are in China (August 25), Italy (September 14) and Germany (September 28).
TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT
Optimus Prime sharpened up his sword in Japan this frame with a No. 1 start of $4M at 685 locations. Spain also debuted at No. 1 for Paramount with $1.2M at 515; and Israel started in 3rd place with $196K at 74.
In all, Michael Bay’s last installment in the franchise captured $9.4M from 55 markets. The international cume is $454M.
BABY DRIVER
Now in 42 offshore markets, Edgar Wright’s getaway romance has lifted $57.5M internationally. That’s with a weekend heist of $7M for the Sony pic on 3,175 screens. Holds have been solid. Leading cumes include the UK at $15.3M, France with $4.7M and Germany at $2.1M.. Mexico drives in next this week.
ATOMIC BLONDE
Universal is releasing the Charlize Theron/James McAvoy-starrer in 24 international territories and kicked off its boots in Australia, New Zealand, Ecuador and Venezuela this weekend. The estimate is $2M for on the Universal books. Sierra/Affinity has released the film in 26 markets through its distribution partners. This weekend they kicked in $3M. That takes the full international total to $11.6M with $45.6M globally.
Australia opened to No. 3 with $1.7M including previews; New Zealand opened No. 2 with $219K for the weekend. Ecuador got off to a fair start at $37K in a very slow market. Conversely, Venezuela, which is currently in the throes of a constitutional crisis, topped comps Lucy and Kingsman: The Secret Service with a $20K bow. Next weekend, Theron takes her ass-kicking to the UK, Netherlands and Colombia.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES
The 5th installment in Disney’s Pirates franchise is saying yo-ho-ho in Japan where it is now the No. 2 Western release of the year, behind the studio’s own Beauty And The Beast. The total there is $51.9M. Japan is typically a top market for the series, although (in non-restated dollars) this one is currently at about half of the last film, On Stranger Tides.
Overall, the weekend was worth $2.1M in 20 markets for $610M internationally and $781.2M globally. Holds were good in the Netherlands (-37%) and Belgium (-31%) in the film’s 11th week of overseas play.
GIRLS TRIP
Universal’s breakout comedy opened to No. 1 in South Africa and Trinidad, and held steady at No. 4 in the UK. The weekend is $1.7M internationally for an early total of $5.5M. Worldwide, the cume is $90.9M. The Malcolm D Lee-directed pic scored the biggest opening ever for a live-action comedy in Trinidad with $188K at 20 dates. It had a better South Africa opening than all comps including Bridesmaids and The Hangover with $186K. The UK’s 2nd session was down just 12% with a 10-day total of $5M.
THE MUMMY
With a $1.5M weekend in 42 overseas markets, Universal’s Dark Universe entry crossed $400M at the worldwide box office Sunday. The offshore total is $322.4M for $402.3M global. Japan, the final market to release, made up the bulk of this weekend’s tomb take at $1.3M. The cume there is $7.8M after two frames. The rest of the world has essentially completed runs on the Tom Cruise pic.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (FOX): $1.3M intl weekend (5 markets); $18M intl cume
Baywatch (PAR): $882K intl weekend (28 markets); $117.3M intl cume
The Beguiled (UNI): $255K intl weekend (14 markets); $4.9M intl cume
LOCAL LANGUAGE
While Wolf Warriors 2 has been chomping its way through the Chinese box office, another local film, Once Upon A Time was the No. 2 movie internationally this weekend. At $38M for the FSS as reported by comScore, it’s got a local take of $61.5M thus far. A romantic fantasy that’s based on a book and a TV series, it was still no match for big dog WW2. Its IMAX weekend on 427 local screens was a solid $4M.
In Korea, A Taxi Driver drove away with $25.7M for the weekend. The Showbox movie is directed by Jang Hun and based on a true story. Starring Song Kang-ho and Germany’s Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist, Avengers: Age Of Ultron), it’s set in the 80s when a Seoul cabbie becomes involved with a German journalist on a drive down to Gwangju city and back. The North America release is on Friday.
In India, Shah Rukh Khan’s latest starring vehicle, Jab Harry Met Sejal was met with lukewarm response at the weekend, coming in at about 47.5 crore ($7.14M) for the three-day. That’s lower than his recent pics like Raees ($9M) and Fan ($7.87M), according to Bollywood Hungama. Before those, Dilwale landed upwards of 60 crore in its first outing. Through Monday, the gross on Jab Harry is $7.95M in India with $2.42M in offshore markets. In the U.S., it made $1.28M at 280 locations over the debut session. The Yash Raj release is a romantic comedy led by Khan as a tour guide who meets a woman (Anushka Sharma) who has lost her engagement ring. The pair set off in search of the bauble, falling for each other in the process. Imtiaz Ali directs.
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