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Breaking almost every opening weekend record in Japan, Steven Spielberg's A.I.: Artificial Intelligence smashed into the land of the rising sun with $11.6 million in two days on the widest number of theaters ever in Japan, 524 screens, including previews. It started screening in some places at 7:30 A.M to meet the demand and started regular screenings at 10 A.M.

A.I. eclipsed The Matrix by 164%! to become WB's highest opening weekend in Japan. It's also the best June entry, trouncing The Mummy Returns by 166%. Beating Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace, it became the largest two-day opening, exluding sneaks. And it was the highest for a nonsequel, topping Independence Day by 34%.

In total, the Haley Joel Osment starrer sold 1,037,879 tickets: an all-time record, crushing the newest Star Wars which sold 916,540 tickets. It did, however, fall just 7% short of the ultimate honor, the biggest debut ever, including sneaks, which is held by The Phantom Menace. WB was, however, quick to point out that A.I. would have taken the crown if its release had not fallen on the first day of the month, when ticket prices in four-fifths of the country are discounted by 44%. Bad strategy I say. The key was that George Lucas' epic had the benefit of two full days of previews, while Spielberg's had just one.

Illustrating its dominance, A.I. garnered 64% of the total Japanese market for the weekend. WB reported that 65% of the audiences are female and many found the pic so emotionally powerful they were moved to tears. WB is shooting for a first-week haul of $17.5 million-$18.5 million.

It looks like WB's month long $15 million marketing campaign is paying off. The campaign included press conferences with Steven Spielberg and Haley Joel Osment and Spielberg even wrote a personal message to Japanese audiences in a local Japanese newspaper.

Next week and the week after should tell us weither A.I. becomes an average blockbuster or an Armageddon or better yet, a Titanic. Next week it doesn't add much competition, but on July 14th, Pearl Harbor debuts along with The Emperor's New Groove. Then on the 21st a Toho mega-animation hit Sen To Chihiroho Kanikakuji blasts into its homeland along with Dr. Dolittle 2 and on the 28th The Planet of the Apes kicks off its world tour.

Elsewhere around the world, it was a mixed bag for U.S. releases. Shrek had a monster debut in the United Kingdom, with $6,636,620 on 470 taking the highest screen average in the Top 15 with $14,121. That's a local record fro DreamWorks, which is already in jeopardy with A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. It was 52% ahead of Tarzan and 74% better than Dinosaur which opened near November last year. But it could only managed third place in Taiwan, where children's movies aren't the most popular ticket. It did manage a good $372,000 on 48 which is 104% bigger than Chicken Run, but that's not saying much.

Pearl Harbor raked in $10.6 million overseas, catapulting it past the century mark to $110.8 million. The WWII epic took the industry's fifth-biggest opening ever with $950,000 on 118 in Thailand, but that was still behind Armageddon. The film set BVI opening weekend records in admissions in The Netherlands, where there was a two-for-one ticket promotion and earned $600,000 on 135 there, beating Armageddon, but failing to measure up to Hannibal. In Denmark, Pearl Harbor grabbed an impressive $444,000 on 57, besting the Bruce Willis starrer by 50%.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was this weekend's top earner, grabbing $22.7 million from 2,585 engagements in 16 markets, but the results were erratic. The Angelina Jolie starrer seized the top spot in France with $3.7 million on 696 (14% ahead of The Mummy Returns, which wasn't a blockbuster there). It should finish around $5 millioin for the week. In Germany it also took pole position with an estimated $3.6 million on 714, neither great nor bad.

In the smaller markets Tomb Raider was relatively more muscular. In South Korea the film pulled in an estimated $2 million on 156 screens. In Norway it took $552,000 on 69 and in South Africa it stole the top spot with $346,000 on 78. It was, however, number 2 in Sweden behind local picture Beck, taking still a good $647,000 on 58.

In Australia, Shrek climbed to the top spot loseing 9% of its previous business cumeing an impressive $6,455,257 in just two weeks. Swordfish definitly found the password to a blockbuster Down Under. It smashed into the second spot with $1,579,341 on just 208 screens. It took the second highest screen average ($7,593) behind IMAX's new opener Cyberworld 3D which took $44,533 on 2 screens for a screen average of $22,267.

After average openigs in Singapore and Malaysia, Atlantis: The Lost Empire ventured into Brazil, surfacing a fair $300,000 on 180, which is on par with Pocahontas and just a smidge behind The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules.

After stealing the top spot from Pearl Harbor last weekend Evolution ventured off into Spain at the number two spot with a so-so $862,000 on 281, but took the top spot in Singapore with $310,000 on 29. It fell a good 26% in the United Kingdom making $5,902,567 to date.

The Mummy Returns has levitated to $185.4 millin, spurred by Japan's $22.5 million through its fourth lap. It has just a few territories to open in including Bulgaria.

Next week Lara Croft: Tomb Raider debutes in the United Kingdom along with Dr. T and the Women. Shrek looks to dethrown Tomb Raider off the spot as it debuts with Tomcats. Dr. Dolittle 2 opened yesterday in Australia where it will compete with Heartbreakers and You Can Count on Me on Thursday. Shrek also looks to bump Tomb Raider off pole position in France as it opens on 700 screens.

Tomb Raider should bump off Shrek from the top spot in the United Kingdom taking about $7 million. Shrek should fall an excellent 5% or less. Shrek will steal the top spot from Tomb Raider in both France and Germany taking in more than $5 million in both territories. Shrek shouldn't have a problem with Dr. Dolittle 2 in Australia.

These are my predicted foreign totals for the selected films:

Pearl Harbor: $201 million

The Mummy Returns: $205 million

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: $141 million

Swordfish: $85 million

Shrek: $259 million

Miss Congeniality: $110 million

Bridget Jones's Diary: $103 million

Moulin Rouge: $82 million

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence: $311 million

Dr. Dolittle 2: $91 million

*Numbers are changed whenever a market produces unexpected numbers.