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Crowded by summer blockbusters, France showed its heavyweight numbers last week with Planet of the Apes leading for a second weekend followed closely by Rush Hour 2 and Absolument Fabuleux. Planet of the Apes was continuing its dominance in other places than France last week leading The Netherlands for a 12% rise and several new openers including Germany. A Knight's Tale is taking advantage of low competition in its selected market; this week it attacked the U.K. with impressive numbers. Finally Jurassic Park III is whistling up great opening numbers in the few territories it has yet to open in.

Rising 17.4%, with nearly $20 million in the Top 20, France beat all other markets. Lead by Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, which coined $5,251,329 from 749 screens, falling a nice 42%, France also saw two new openers; Rush Hour 2 and Absolument Fabuleux. Jackie Chan's international power proved true with Rush Hour 2's $4,291,820 opening from 564 screens. That was last week's highest screen average inching above Planet of the Apes' $7,011. Receiving poor reviews, homegrown Absolument Fabuleux did better than most expected with $3,356,070 from 591 screens. It should fall steeply next week, but stay around the top 20 for another four to five weeks. Older films fell about 15% and some even increased from the week before. To date Shrek leads the domestic openers in France with $18,215,137, but Planet of the Apes should take that with $14,237,948 to date. Relentless from dropping to the bottom 20, Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie leads France this year with a socko $38,820,106 in 19 weeks of release.

Planet of the Apes opened in Germany at the top spot, but not with the opening-type numbers it saw in the U.K. and France. It barely beat the second week it had in France with $5,293,640 from 794 theaters. It should fall around 50% next week that could make it a challenge to reach $15 million. Bridget Jones's Diary continues to grab a hold of the What Women Want-type audience in Germany. It rose 40% from the previous week and currently has about $6 million. Local fav Der Schuh des Manitu rose 35% to about $32.6 million, which is Germany's second highest total this year, falling to What Women Want. It should pass Mel Gibson's romantic comedy by next weekend.

Opening in Austria, Belgium, and Spain also, Planet of the Apes feasted on healthy numbers. In Belgium the film grabbed $695,000 from 91 theaters and in Austria it took failed to beat Der Schuch des Manitu with $410,453 from 97 theaters. It did; however, have stellar numbers in Spain with it coined $3.9 million from 317 screens. That is an all-time industry record for an opening weekend in Spain, which is a welcome turnaround for Hollywood after a disappointing summer season. It smaller markets haven't fared as great as in the States, but has very good number nonetheless. In The Netherlands in increased by 12% elevating its territory cume to $980,000. It has just Egypt, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, India, and Eastern Europe left.

A Knight's Tale has capitalized on low competition everywhere its opened so far and proved the same in the U.K. with a $2,439,227 from 377 screens weekend. It dipped just 33% in Australia, and held effectively in South Korea and New Zealand. The film already has over $7 million in the international arena.

Becoming this year's worldwide king, Pearl Harbor has shaken the international market with fantastic numbers despite poor reviews. It has $197 million domestically and $234.4 million internationally for $431.4 million total. Thanks to a great Japanese run of over $50 million, a Chinese run which could become the all-time highest grossing film in that territory, and a nice Greek opening of $420,000, Pearl Harbor has earned its top position. It should fall to Shrek soon though. Shrek already has $431 million worldwide.

Jurassic Park III surfaced in Italy with a solid $1.8 million from 296 screens. It also kicked off in Australia with good $1.9 million on 203. Skewing fairly young, the film should falter 50% or more in Australia, but could drop a nice 35% in Italy. Trailing the third round of local wonder Suriyothai, JP3 nabbed a good $512,000 on 103 in Thailand. In New Zealand it grabbed $251,000 on 44 and in Poland it nabned $216,000 on 73. For the weekend Joe Johnston's sequel raised $9.2 million on 3,161 engagements from 31 territories shooting to $154.1 million.

Doing surprisingly well everywhere, Bridget Jones's Diary continues to fall just 20% in most of its territories. It penned $6 million from over 1,500 screens in 18 markets, hoisting its total to $115 million. The picture smashed into South Korea with a surprisingly good $368,000 on 54, beating Shakespeare in Love by 40% and Billy Elliot by a whopping 123%. It continues with great second, third, forth, and fifth rounds everywhere else.

Next week Moulin Rouge jumps into the Dominican Republic along with Jamaica, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Jurassic Park III tries to finish off what territories it has left with Hungary and Romania. The United Kingdom also receives Scary Movie 2, Startup.com, and opening in many markets The Forsaken. France also gets The Forsaken along with many French films including Cannes Film Festival winner, La Pianiste and One Night at McCool's, Someone Like You, Down to Earth. Again looking for the low competition A Knight's Tale jumps into Germany with just limited release films. Angel Eyes, Before Night Falls, The Forsaken, and Get Over It all open in Australia, which should downsize its box office even further.

Moulin Rouge should give Scary Movie 2 a run for its money, but Scary Movie 2 should take the crown in the UK with about $4 million. In Germany A Knight's Tale could have a tough time opening at the top spot after Planet of the Apes opened there last week. Expect somewhere in the $2 million range. In Australia expect Planet of the Apes to lead again and The Forsaken to lead the B-movie list. La Pianiste could have lost the Cannes buzz, but critic reviews should save its opening with around $3 million.

These are my predicted foreign totals for the selected films:

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: $141 million

Swordfish: $85 million

Shrek: $259 million

Bridget Jones's Diary: $171 million

Moulin Rouge: $82 million

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence: $311 million

Cats & Dogs: $110 million

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within: $101 million

Planet of the Apes: $210 million

Rush Hour 2: $151 million

*Numbers are changed whenever a market produces unexpected numbers.