June 1-3, 2001

Around the World Round Up
by Kenan Bresnan

Pearl Harbor exploded into the foreign market, near records left and right. In the United Kingdom, Pearl Harbor debuted to a fabulous $4.5 million, cosidering the three-hour running time. It was the fourth-biggest June premier after Batman & Robin, The Mummy, and The Matrix. The film was 15% ahead of Armageddon's and Saving Private Ryan's debuts, although both had extremely long legs. It was also well below the romanace blockbuster, Titanic, and other major releases in The Mummy Returns and The Sixth Sense. Pearl Harbor could have wound up with $5.5 to $6 million had it not been for the critics, but several Blightly audiences headed their words and stayed away from the film. The danger still lurks: Will Peal Harbor have the same reaction as in the States? My guess is yes. You should expect a 50%+ drop next weekend which would certainly limit the Ben Affleck starrer some long term records.

In Italy, a wonderful talley of $2.3 million on 536 theaters was recorded, which is an all-time high for Buena Vista International. In Brazil, it opened to an O.K. $1.1 million on 377 theaters. South Korea's $2.2 million from 130 is by far the best debut for Pearl Harbor yet, but it was still second to Korea's own A Friend.

In Asia, company records for BVI were outstanding. In Malaysia an opening of $783,000 on 40 is the industr's fourth-highest opening ever. That's a spectacular $19,575 screen average. In Singapore, it opened to a little lesss $738,000 on 42. In Russia, the romance/war film smashed into 30 theaters with a perfect $420,000 debut, which is that territory's second best launch behind newly released The Mummy Returns. In South Africa an excellent $280,000 on 87 is now BVI's record.

The other new releases also fared well. Moulin Rouge rolled into Taiwan and New Zealand confirming an international blockbuster. In Taiwan, it whistled up $394,000 in two days on 55. And in New Zealand it posted a very good $179,000 on 35 in four days, which is a higher average than Titanic.

Sustained by word of mouth and facing no romance competition, Moulin Rouge fell just 4 percent to $1,823,377 from 254 screens for a grand $7,179 screen average in just its second week.

The Mummy Returns captipulted to $85,077,949 according to UIP's Monday's numbers thanks to a good $6.9 million from 2,475 in 19 markets. Holidays in Germany, France, and The Netherlands are not in those numbers, but in France, The Mummy Returns only fell 30%.

In its first offshore tryout, Driven grabbed spectacular numbers in Taiwan. On just 12 screen, the Sylvestor Stallon starrer took $240,000 for a heavty screen average of $20,000. This bodes well for other Asian markets and could push the European markets up as well.

Next week, Pearl Harbor invades 700 screens in France, where it will be distributed by GBVI. Also in France, UK's There's Only One Jimmy Grimble takes on 80 screens. In Australia Pearl Harbor takes on State & Main and, more importantly, Moulin Rouge's 3rd term. In Germany, Pearl Harbor looks to compete mainly with it self as only small openers debut there. In the United Kingdom, Down to Earth makes its international debut along with Get Over It and Les Rivieres Pourpres. Japan looks to have a huge week as Miss Congeniality and The Mummy Returns open. Aslo Malena and The Way of the Gun look for average numbers there.

France should have a very good week with Pearl Harbor taking a large portion of the box office and it should help keep steady previous releases, but leave the other openers with poor numbers. Pearl Harbor will also lead Australia, but I wouldn't be surprised to see State & Main creep into the top 10. Pearl Harbor will also lead Germany's weak market and in the United Kingdom it should maintain pole position, but Down to Earth could take second. The Mummy Returns should beat the other competition in Japan, but will Miss Congeniality fail as it did in France and Italy? That question can't be answered, but it should at least come out with $1 million.

Check out the France Forecast