March 16-18, 2001
(Grosses in millions)

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

The sniper hunt hit big in the foreign trenches. The Stalingrad epic, Enemy at the Gates, posted healthy numbers and the top spot in the U.K. and third in France, but was D.O.A. in Geramny. Although the movie was filmed there it was surprising considering the story (Nazi vs. USSR). Doing fantastic everywhere, Sandra Bullock starrer, Miss Congeniality smashed into Australia while The Emperor's New Groove and Chocolat took over Enemy at the Gates' poor showing in Germany.

Jean-Jacques Annaud's Enemy at the Gataes marched into the United Kingdom with $1.4 million. Not out of the ordinary, but plenty to steal the top spot from veteran Hannibal. The WWII saga entered Germany in a very poor seventh place, fetching an estimated $587,000 from 347. Following the same rank in Austria the film only took $60,000 from 40. The picture landed in Paris at number three, selling 84,000 tickets, behind The Exorcist's director's cut and Traffic's sophmore stanza.

Miss Congeniality scored $2.1 million from 267 Down Under, that being in a time were the Australian Dollar was for the first time over 2 compared to the US Dollar. The falling economy hurt all other films there. In Thailand, commanding 40% of the top 10 titles' receipts, Donald Petrie's film had a great $243,000 from 62 and $133,000 on 29 from Malaysia.

Levitating its foreign total to $49.2 million, the director's cut of The Exorcist nabbed $2.8 million from 440 in France (WB's eighth-best opening in that market). On 296 a very impressive $1.8 million from Germany combined with Switzerland's $268,000 from 38 and Austria's $242,000 from 31, The Exorcist has crushed its already impressive $39.7 million domestic total.

Dinsey's The Emperor's New Groove caught on in Deutscheland with $2.6 million from 661 finally taking off What Women Want from the top spot, but barely. Opening 10% above Disney's previous release in Mulan, The Emperor's New Groove should capitalize on school vacations next week. Another positive opening in Austria ($350,000 from 80) tallied its foreign haul to $28.5 million with plenty of markets ahead.

Bouncing back from its disappointing performance in France, Chocolat whipped up $6.2 million last weekend from 1,400 engagements hoisting its foreign total to $25 million in 28 territories. German audiences loved the Judie Dench-Juliette Binoche starrer to the tune of $1.3 million from 155 venues. The Swiss ponied up $243,000 from 33. Among its impressive tallies are the U.K.'s $4.8 million, Italy's $4.4 million, and Australia's $2.2 million.

Another big opener in Spain... but this time it accounts for 80% of the country's total. Nancy Meyers' What Women Want seduce a fabulous $1.8 million from 241 screens. Although not nearly impressive as Germany, Spain should have one of the better totals. Speaking of Germany, the Mel Gibson starrer was narrowly dethroned by The Emperor's New Groove minting $2.5 million for the best total so far this or last years films at $30.7 million.

Hannibal swallowed another $6.2 million from 3,013 theaters across 23 countries last weekend, hoisting its foreign tally to $122.6 million. The Anthony Hopkins starrer has quieted down some, but it still has more than 20 markets to open in. Cast Away has $174.7 million. Not as impressive as it could have been, but good none the less. The Video/DVD record-breaker, Meet the Parents has $126 million and 102 Dalmatians will cross the century mark with $97 million already in its wallet, spurred by late-opener Japan's neat $4.8 million in nine days.

Guy Ritchie's Snatch didn't catch on in Italy with a meager $419,000 from 112 screens, but it took the number 2 spot with $228,000 in South Korea. It overseas total is $38.9 million. Ang Lee's Wo hu zang long (a.k.a. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) curried favor in India, taking the top spot with $244,000 from 78. Its foreign total is $63 million.

Hoping for an even better UK weekend next weekend, 15 Minutes and Miss Congeniality open there. Lots of freshmen in Germany push for a $14 million weekend. Some of those include Thirteen Days, Dude, Where's My Car?, Proof of Life, and Snatch. Making its first international debut Save the Last Dance will also open there. Australia gets The Contender's foreign debut and The Exorcist. France is full of the Oscar wannabes in Almost Famous, Quills, and Requiem for a Dream. With more than five French films opening there, Bamboozled will also debut. Italy should have a fair weekend with 15 Minutes, Almost Famous, and The Gift. What Women Want finally opens in Sweden along with 15 Minutes.

Expect high numbers from Miss Congeniality everywhere it opens next weekend especially the United Kingdom. I wouldn't be surprised to see Save the Last Dance headlining Germany, but that's with heavy competition. The Exorcist should hit big Down Under and French films should take the top spot in France or holdovers from last weekend. And look for impressive numbers from What Women Want in Sweden.