January 26-28, 2001
(Grosses in millions)

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

Cast Away washed ashore with a whopping $23 million from 23 territories this past weekend. Breaking that down, the Tom Hanks starrer dug up a boffo $2.1 million in five days in Taiwan on just 47 screens. In fact, its Asian campaign had a smashing start across the board. In Hong Kong, it garnered $671,000 from 17 screens. In Singapore and Thailand, it posted career bests for Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis with $665,000 on 27 screens and $399,000 from 52 respectively.

The Robinson Crusoe redux was greeted equally well in Latin America. It grabbed $1.5 million from 303 screens in Mexico after just three days and $757,000 on 90 in Argentina. In Europe, it demonstrated terrific stamina, advancing to $16 million in Germany (down just 12%), $13.3 million in the United Kingdom, and $4.3 million in France, not to mention $5.6 million in Australia.

In Greece, Unbreakable broke Disney's record with $490,000 from 44 screens, surpassing another Bruce Willis starrer, Armageddon. In Portugal, its $263,000 bow from 40 screens was second best, behind yet another Bruce Willis starrer The Sixth Sense. Its foreign haul reached $108 million, well ahead of its $93 million domestic take.

102 Dalmatians scampered to $47 million, highlighted by Hong Kong's fantastic $1.2 million from 31 screens and Taiwan's pleasing $411,000 from 17. With French and German speaking territories still to go, plus Spain, The Netherlands, and Japan ahead, the Disney sequel has an outside shot at the century mark.

Vertical Limit continued to outpace its slightly disappointing domestic gross with $1.9 million in Germany, $481,000 in Turkey, $327,000 in Sweden, $323,000 in Austria, $273,000 in Switzerland, and $243,000 in Poland. The K2 actioner's total reached $70.5 million.

Billy Elliot pirouetted to $45.2 million, leaping to pole position in Spain with $307,0000 and in the Netherlands with $100,000 in four days as well as a graceful $245,000 in five days in Belgium. Its shown great legs all over with $24.5 million to date in the UK, $8 million in France, $4.6 million in Germany, $3.6 million in Australia, and $2.2 million in Switzerland.

Meet the Parents continue to please its producers with $5.2 million from 19 countries, bringing its foreign haul to $90.9 million.

Nearing the end of a solid international run, The 6th Day opened in Italy with a fair $711,000 start at No. 4, but seized the No. 1 spot in India, raking in $287,000. It's cume topped $67 million, led by Japan's terrific $14.2 million.

Proof of Life showed signs that it could make up for its disappointing domestic numbers, nabbing a healthy $1.5 million in nine days in South Korea and $146,512 in New Zealand.