March 23-25, 2001
(Grosses in millions)

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

Delivering $2.7 million from 360 screens, Miss Congeniality led the pack in the U.K. Commanding 56% of the market in Taiwan the Sandra Bullock starrer snatched $954,000 from 52 screens. In Holland from only 77 screens it took $456,000 and $337,000 on 46 from Switzerland. The beauty pageant spoof proofed it doesn't matter what time of year you release in the international market. In Hong Kong and Portugal Miss Congeniality bowed strongly with $287,000 from 30 and $180,000 from 45 respectively. Proving its not a one week wonder, the film has racked up $4.5 million in 11 days from Oz and $615,000 in 10 days from Thailand. Its cume is $21 million with plenty more money to roll on in.

Milking all the money from the Oscar nominations, Chocolat grabbed $5.8 million from 1,500 in 36 territories for a nifty $34 million. Lasse Hallstrom's confection rose by 25% in Germany, fetching $3.7 million in 11 days and in the United Kingdom, a perfect $6.3 million through its fourth and $5.3 million in its fifth in Italy.

Also juicing the Oscars, but in re-release form, Best Picture Winner, Gladiator continues to roll with $264.6 million through Sunday. It already has over $2 million from re-release in more than 30 markets including openers in France on Wednesday and Japan on Saturday.

20th Century Fox's Dude, Where's My Car? scored an impressive $2.1 million from 589 in Germany, but a poor $171,000 from 60 in Germany's German-speaking neighbor, Austria. The laffer's foreign total has hit $12 million, which is fair considering the plot.

After flunking in Germany, the U.K., and Japan, the Sean Connery starrer, Finding Forrester was somewhat redeemed in Italy with a chart topping $669,000 from 199.

William Friedkin's director's cut of The Exorcist continues to freight up customers in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Mexico, and Venezuela. Probably benefiting from being never released in some countries The Exorcist beat former entries from Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer in Australia with $690,000 from 143, Belgium's $396,000 from 44, and Venezuela's $242,000 from 33. The book-based film retained pole position in France, taking $4.6 million in 12 days, and has a fair $2.8 million in 11 from Germany. Mexico's superb $6.4 million is through its third turn bringing is foreign haul past $57 million.

Besting a number of openers in Germany and Austria including Save the Last Dance's $1.6 million opener Disney's The Emperor's New Groove took the top spot in its sophomore session, totaling $5.3 million and $800,000 (down 14% and up 17%). The century mark hopeful already has $32.4 million with many major markets to continue.

Celebrating another $100 million hit, Disney saw domestic disappointment 102 Dalmatians fly through it with $102 million chiefly provided by Japan's late $8 million through its third stanza.

Another Disney hit Unbreakable opened in Turkey with $260,000 from 62. In Japan's sixth round it has a awesome $23. 6 million, bringing its total to $149.5 million overseas.

New Line's 15 Minutes checked into the U.K. with a soft $714,000 from 229, but was comparatively stronger in Italy with $582,000 on 168. Another New Line film, The Cell finally opened in its last major market, Japan, with a wispy $727,000 in two days from 117. Stacking up $39.5 million overseas, the Jennifer Lopez starrer hasn't held well with the domestic $61.2 million.

Cooling down Hannibal devoured $3.6 million for holdovers and Thailand's tasty $276,000 from 43 in three days, propelling its foreign total to $129.7 million. A $150-$160 million mark is in sight.

Phillip Kaufman's Quills failed in France on 48 prints with only $90,000, but a much better $38,000 from 3 in Belgium brought its foreign total to $8.9 million from 37 markets.

Next week the United Kingdom gets Save the Last Dance and Men of Honor along with the re-release of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Bamboozled. Miss Congeniality opens in Germany with Top 10 hopeful Remember the Titans. Two European films, The Luzhin Defese and Gangster No. 1 opens in Italy hoping to bounce back there poor weekend. Miss Congeniality also opens in Sweden. In Japan the re-release of A Hard Day's Night and the last of major markets for Meet the Parents will open.

The United Kingdom should be led by Miss Congeniality again unless Save the Last Dance or Men of Honor has something special. Germany will definitely be headlined by the Sandra Bullock starrer with anywhere from $2.5 million-$4 million while Disney's Remember the Titans should get the sixth or seventh spot with a very poor screen average. Italy is up for grabs between its two openers while Sweden will be struck by Miss Congeniality, which will grab the top spot. Japan looks to be Meet the Parents. Sometimes domestic comedies click with the Japanese, but sometimes the results aren't pretty. I think the Ben Stiller/Robert De Niro starrer will have excellent numbers and pole position.