May 11-13, 2001

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

"When it rains it pours!" Although different in weather, the international box office was at a yearly low. The sun didn't help as it sucked people outdoors. Nor did the FA Soccer Cup in the U.K or the Friday televised Presedential debate in Italy. Virtually nothing opened last weekend with the exception of The Mummy Returns in Australia and Italy. From a 60% drop in the U.K. to an even steeper drop in Germany, last weekend was one of the worst weekends of the year.

The UIP release, The Mummy Returns did make the best of a bad situation however. In Australia it took a tremendous $2.7 million on 349 says Universal. It was the eigth biggest opening weekedn of all-time Down Under as well as UIP's forth biggest opening only traling Mission: Impossible 2, Gladiator, and The Lost World: Jurassic Park. It was also 43% higher than the original Mummy. The Brendan Faser starrer pulled in 61% of the Top 20 tickets in Oz as well.

In Italy, where Friday was virtually empty as people stayed home to watch a televised debate between the main contenders. The Mummy Returns did take a very good $1,968,643 on 392 prints. It was number and dominated the box office taking 70% of the business in the entire marketplace. Even with the hostile competition from the government, it was still the best May opening in Italy ever.

The Box Office in the United Kingdom plunged over 60% over the weekend. After a good debut from Captain Corelli's Mandolin the film tumbled by 53%, reaping just $1,155,761 from 379, hoisting its ten-day total to $5.1 million. Along Came a Spider also dipped a poor 44% when only losing 1 screen. Its ten-day total is $2million. The only opener in the Top 10 was Australia's The Dish. The Sam Neil starrer scored an unimpressive $309,448 on 187 screens. I wouldn't be surprised if it actually went up next week by a percent or two. Meanwhile Miss Congeniality passed the $14 million mark where should stay.

Lee Tamahori's Along Came a Spider also banked $143,000 on 45 in Taiwan (no. one), but was terrible in Belgium. Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000 finished third in France with a toothless $458,000 on 318 (for five days). It has a cume of $8.8 million from 25 territories. The only country that could get it past $15 million would by Japan and that isn't very likely.

In Germany, where the market is at its worst of the year (and falling!), The Wedding Planner clung to the top spot, despite a 58% drop. It has pulled in $2.6 million in 11 days so far. It opened in Mexico at number two behind local rookie The Second Heir with a good $540,000 on 200. But the Jennifer Lopez starrer has failed practicully everywhere in the rest of Latin America, where its only totaled $1.7 million. Back in Germany, Men of Honor again bombed taking only $391,000 from 330. Its foreign total has reached $26 million.

Wowing everybody, Say It Isn't So actually beat local Torrent 2: Mission in Marbella for the top spot falling on 18% from its opening weekend. It fetched a decent $565,000 from 224 prints, savering a juicy $1.4 million in 10 days.

New Line's 15 Minutes topped the chart in Argentina, catapulting a nice $458,000 on 47 in just four days. With a total of $19.2 million; things are looking better for it to catche up with its domestic $24.3 million after openings in Japan and Australia this weekend.

Next week The Mummy Returns returns to twenty-one countries including Brazil, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Also in Australia 15 Minutes, The Way of the Gun, and What's Cooking open. France may not have any openers in the Top 10 as Roberto Succo is the only film to open over one hundred screens. Where the Heart Is tries to make anything it can opening only on three screens in France. In the United Kingdom Amores Perros and Tigerland try to compete with The Mummy Returns' opening. Bait and The In Crowd also competes with The Mummy Returns in Germany. Quills is the only major motion picture to open in Japan. And soon to release in the U.S., Sexy Beast opens in Italy.

Well, The Mummy Returns should hoist up the B.O. by 20 or 30%+. In the United Kingdom it could get $9 million, but most likely $7.5 million. In Germany, there should be no match for the film as it could cook up a healthy $5 million. In Brazil in Spain; $3 million and $2 million respectively are my predictions. The Mummy Returns could bring in altogther a $37.5 million weekend.

Check out the France Forecast