'Jupiter Ascending' Finds Redemption in China

Yahoo Movies
Updated
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By Pamela McClintock

Jupiter Ascending has jumped the $100 million mark at the international box office, thanks to a stellar $23.2 million opening in China, where it easily placed No. 1.

Directors Lana and Andy Wachowski need some good news, considering the movie’s lackluster showing in North America, where it bombed with $45.1 million.

The pricey sci-fi adventure, starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis, has fared better overseas, earning a total of $25.3 million this weekend from 53 markets for a foreign total of $107 million.

Related: Box Office: ‘Chappie’ No. 1 With Soft $13.3M; Vince Vaughn Suffers Another Bomb

Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow spent at least $150 million to make Jupiter Ascending, about a mortal (Kunis) who learns she is a galactic princess. Tatum plays an elf-eared alien who comes to her aid. Even though it just opened there, China has delivered huge returns for Jupiter. Its next best market is Russia, where the cume to date is $9 million.

Among new offerings, Neill Blomkamp’s dystopian robot film Chappie failed to impress globally, opening to $13.3 million domestically and $13.7 million internationally from 53 markets for a total global debut of $27 million. The Sony title has yet to open in several major markets, including Japan and Mexico.

Thanks to its China berth, Jupiter Ascending topped the foreign weekend chart, followed closely by Oscar-winner Big Hero 6, another Hollywood title prospering from a late run in China.

Related: Box Office Milestone: ‘American Sniper’ Hits $500M Globally, Becomes Top 2014 Title in U.S.

Big Hero 6 claimed $19.6 million for the weekend overall at the international box office, including $15.9 million in its second weekend of play in China, where it has grossed a total of $40.8 million.

Better yet, Big Hero 6 is celebrating crossing the $600 million mark at the worldwide box office and becoming the most successful Disney Animation title of all time behind Frozen ($1.27 billion) and The Lion King ($987.5 million), not accounting for inflation. Big Hero 6 continues to have a sizable presence in the U.K. and Japan.

Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper also hit a milestone in crossing the $500 million mark worldwide, including an international cume of $163 million through Sunday.