April 6-8, 2001
(Grosses in millions)

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

Hannibal recovered from a huge gross by Japan last weekend while Traffic had a potent premiere in Germany. Miss Congeniality continued to role in the U.K., Germany, and Australia, but is failing in Italy and newcomer France. And in Australia, nobody could mimic Stuart Little's bow last year except the only film not expected to do so, Save the Last Dance.

Ridley Scott's Hannibal sunk its teeth into Japan, devouring $4.7 million in two days from only 311 screen (including $1.3 million from previews the prior weekend). That's 28% better than The Green Mile's fabulous debut last year, and ahead of The Mummy, Cast Away, and Gladiator. Also opening in Turkey, the Anthony Hopkins starrer had an excellent opening, grossing $285,000 from 60 screens. Totaled up, the cannibal film racked up $5.9 million from 18 countries, elevating its cume to $140,741,790 ($303.5 million worldwide), with 11 territories still to go, including Indonesia on the 11th, New Zealand on the 12th, and South Korea on the 21st.

Steven Soderbergh's Traffic picked up $1.7 million at 268 theaters in Germany, Miss Congenialtiy was still tops. Doing worse in Austria, but still a very good bow, the drug-war saga coined $218,446 from 35 last weekend for a total of $230,313 from sneaks. Thanks to Australia $4.9 million and Italy's $4.3 million, Traffic has topped $47 million.

Continuing to lead most territories, Miss Congeniality earned $8.9 million on 2,320 screens in 21 countries, rocketing its foreign tally to $40 million. Actually improving in Germany based on its major increase in theaters (525), the Sandra Bullock starrer took $2,540,273 for an impressive two week total in $6,004,557. Opening in Spain (which is led by the local phenom Torrente 2) the film grabbed a pleasant $970,000 from 212, but wasn't looking so hot in Spain's northern neighbor, France where it took on $550,000 from 310. It's tallied nearly $9 million to date in the United Kingdom, but Italy's $716,000 in 10 days is its poorest market.

The Australian box office was strange. Expected to be topped by The Emperor's New Groove, the territory was actually led by teen-film Save the Last Dance. Having four children films open in the same weekend wasn't the greatest idea. All were trying to get last years Stuart Little gold ($1.7 million) which opened on the same weekend. New Groove took just $339,301 from 274, Rugrats in Paris: the Movie did even wore with $241,217 from 270, See Spot Run continued to keep the trend with $81,319 from 145, but The Little Vampire definitely takes last place. On its opening weekend it had a screen average of $239! It opened on just 23 screens for a total of $5,497. Good vibes came from domestic hit Save the Last Dance wher it topped the chart with $790,572 from only 155 for an average of $5,100.

The Emperor's New Groove did have a much better debut elsewhere. In Mexico in captured $1.2 million (26% above Mulan and 55% Toy Story). In Italy it was on par with A Bug's Life with $870,000 from 237. The Disney toon rang up $6 million in the foreign market, propelling its total to a fine $44 million, including France's fantastic $5.7 million in 12 days (actually up 17%).

Rugrats in Paris: The Movie also did better where it checked into the U.K. with pole position and $2.2 million on 464. The Nickelodeon film has still many territories to go.

The French B.O. was dominated by local titles. Surprisingly Yamakasi beat Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre for the top spot while La Tour Montparnasse Infernale continued to shine in its second lap.

The Director's Cut of The Exorcist has faired well taking Warner Brother's seventh-highest bow ever in The Netherlands ($404,540 on 64) and its third best in Portugal ($199,000 on 39); estimated cume is $65 million.

Finding Forrester is struggling to find an audience in the international market, typified by indifferent openings in Spain ($397,000 on 172), Taiwan, Swede, and New Zealand. Its total is $12.7 million.

Next week, we'll see if Crocodile Dundee in LA will do well in the States as it opens in Australia. Best in Show, Croupier, The Gift, Memento, Say It Isn't So, and Sweet November will also debut. Hoping to be its lackluster performance, Just Visiting or Les Visiteurs will debut on 536 screens in France. Voyance et Manigance, another French film, will open on 208 screens along with La Plage on 170 and Gloups! Je suis un Poisson also on 170. The Legend of Bagger Vance will be the only U.S. film to open in France with 161 copies. 15 Minutes, One Night at McCool's, Dungeons & Dragons, See Spot Run, and You Can Count on Me will open in Germany. Chicken Run, of all films, will make its Japanese debut on the 14th. If good numbers pop up, the DreamWorks pic could pick up $130 million when all is said and done.

Expect Crocodile Dundee in LA to top the Aussie box office, but with shallow numbers. Memento will probably have the highest screen average there. Galleic film holdovers should keep the French box office numbers high. Nothing will take over Miss Congeniality in Germany though Dungeons & Dragons could have excellent numbers, but from a low amount of screens. Japan will probably be led by Hannibal yet again and Chicken Run could come in a close second or third.

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