‘Warcraft’ Heading for $30 Million-Plus Overseas Launch
Legendary-Universal’s “Warcraft” is opening impressively internationally, heading for more than $30 million in 20 markets in its first weekend — two weeks ahead of launches in China and the United States.
The box office total as of Friday has hit $16.3 million. Russia is leading the way with $4.9 million in two days with a 65% market share as it posted the second largest opening day of the year behind “Deadpool.”
“Warcraft” generated the biggest opening day of the year in Germany on Thursday with $2.2 million. Its two-day total has hit $3.5 million with a 45% market share.
In France, “Warcraft” has grossed $2.2 million in three days. In Sweden, it opened Friday with $539,000, making it Universal’s third-biggest opening day ever behind “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Furious 7.”
“Warcraft” also opened in first in Austria, Denmark (third-biggest opening of the year), Egypt, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Latvia, Lebanon, Middle East, Norway, Pakistan, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand and United Arab Emirates.
“Warcraft” opens next weekend in Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia and Montenegro, Spain and the U.K. and Ireland.
“Warcraft” is based on Blizzard Entertainment’s multi-player game and centers on the peaceful realm of Azeroth standing on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another.
It’s directed by Duncan Jones and written by Jones and Charles Leavitt. The movie stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Rob Kazinsky and Daniel Wu.
“Warcraft” is a Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production. The producers are Charles Roven, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Gartner and Stuart Fenegan. Jillian Share, Brent O’Connor, Michael Morhaime and Paul Sams serve as executive producers.
Prospects are mixed in the U.S., where tracking is showing a $25 million opening weekend, well behind the $40 million-plus projection for “The Conjuring 2.”
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