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It was one of the worst weekends ever across the globe. Celebrations for the Queen and excellent weather in the U.K., the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and the French Open in France caused massive drop-offs in almost every country abroad. Suffering the most damage was Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones taking steep drop-offs in all European markets. About the only movies that had good numbers were 40 Days & 40 Nights in Germany and the U.K., Shaolin Soccer in Japan, and Panic Room in Thailand and Singapore.

Movie Image Not even Yoda could predict the unprecedented drop-off in the United Kingdom that Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones took. It tumbled 62%, as the market overall plunged by 40% thanks to the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations and unusually nice weather. Hopefully the film can regain its pride with the Monday and Tuesday holiday celebrations. Elsewhere in Europe it fell relatively steeply, but still controlled the marketplace. In Germany its conjured up $26.6 million (down 43%), in France it has $19.4 million (abating by 47%), in Australia it has $13.9 million (off 41%), and in Spain it has a phenomenal $10 million (easing a modest 31%). Over the weekend Star Wars managed to make a decent $18.2 million on 5,500 screens in 70 countries, hoisting its cume to $159.5 million.

Spider-Man could have cared less about the world's sports events as it continued to gain amazing numbers in Latin America. Sony's webslinger corralled $14.4 million from 3,551 screens in 34 countries, propelling its cume to $124.2 million. Spidey smashed the industry's opening record in Colombia, minting $895,000 on 150 screens, eclipsing Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone's record by more than 80%! In only its third lap, the comicbook-inspired hero levitated to $24.2 million in Mexico putting it on course to crush Titanic's record haul. In Brazil it looks to do the same with $12 million in three weeks, already number two behind Titanic. Everywhere in Latin America, with the exception of Ecuador (where The Phantom Menace's record looks to stay by a decent amount), Spider-Man has the possibility of taking all time records. In Venezuela ($2.1 million in the till), Chile ($1.8 million,) and Central America ($2.2 million) Spider-Man's numbers are fantastic.

The Tobey Maguire headliner eased by a trifling 4%, despite the premiere of the World Cup, in its fourth outing in Japan, commanding $4.2 million bring its total there to a boffo $35.1 million. In India, the film fell an acceptable 39%, after its record debut, earning $2.8 million in 10 days, which is what a great local film amounts to in a country where local productions are the highest in the world (even above the U.S., France, and Japan).

Hong Kong comedy Shaolin Soccer, fittingly released in Japan while the World Cup tourney was kicking off there and in South Korea, netted a terrific $2.7 million on 335 screens. Through its second weekend in South Korea, the Miramax release has scored a dandy $2.6 million/

Panic Room grabbed pole position in Singapore (capturing $278,000 on 27), Thailand ($252,000 on 73), Malaysia, and Turkey. The thriller also placed second in Mexico with $1.5 million on 356. The Jodie Foster starrer raked in $5.5 million from 2,600 screens in 45 countrys, lifting its foreign tally to $67.7 million, highlighted by Japan's superb $9.8 million in 16 days (off 14%). It only has Scandinavia, several more Asian markets, and the rest of Latin America to open in.

Taking Universal's and UIP's biggest opening of the year in Germany and pole position, 40 Days & 40 Nights debuted to a fantastic $2.94 million on 603 screens. In Germany's neighbor Austria the Josh Hartnett starrer also had fantastic numbers and the top spot with $613,000 on 62 screens. It also had 55% of the market there even with Episode II's third week total. In the United Kingdom it had a little less grand $1.4 million on 329, but still respectable. It has about $12.5 million total.

In Australia, Charlotte Gray was the big surprise opening at the second spot, ahead of local comedy The Hard Word, with $573,000 on 159. The World War II drama generated a lot of media coverage thanks to topliner Cate Blanchett and helmer Gillian Armstrong. The Hard Word, starring local boy Guy Pearce opened third with a promising $457,000 on 162, better than other Oz hits Two Hands and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, but will need a small drop when Spider-Man opens next weekend to become a hit.

Snow Dogs couldn't create the sleeper stature it had at home in the U.K. with a chilly $500,000 on 325, but it showed some promise for Australia as it debuted only in Tasmania with $26,210 on 6 screens for a nice average of $4,368.

Next weekend Spider-Man starts its European tour and finishes off several markets. It debuts in Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand among others. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones tries to mimic Spider-Man in India along with debuts in Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Tortola. In Germany, Pollock and several German films try for strong limited release debuts next to inevitable headliner Spider-Man. In Australia only IMAX hit Space Station 3D attempts to combat Spider-Man. In France, Unfaithful gets the widest release with 398 screens. All openers include Murder by Numbers (319), Dragonfly (202), and Killing Me Softly (134). In the United Kingdom Unfaithful also debuts along with Dragonfly and Monster's Ball.

This is the weekend where Spider-Man can prove that it will beat Attack of the Clones in the international arena and thus the worldwide arena. Will it? I have no idea. So look for its to take anywhere from $2-$5 million Australia, $5-$9 million in Germany, and $2-$4 million in Italy. Star Wars probably won't mimic Spider-Man in India, but still have a great opening of $800,000 or so. In France Unfaithful could actually unseat AOTC with a nice debut of $3 million followed by Clones and then Murder with $1.2 million, and Dragonfly with $700,000, and then Killing Me Softly with around $600,000. In the U.K. Unfaithful probably won't beat AOTC, but should still generate great business with about $1.6 million with Dragonfly getting about $500,000 and Monster's Ball getting $150,000-$300,000 depending on how many screens it get.

These are my predicted foreign totals for the selected films. I've added more to this so check it out:

Unfaithful: A remake of a French film entitled La Femme infidèle, which did signifcantly well in the French market grossing over $3 million or about $15 million or more adjusted for inflation in 1969, Unfaithful should have very strong numbers in all European markets and Japan. It is somewhat similar to Autumn in New York, which took an unusually strong $53 million. Unfaithful should conjure up about $65 million in its entirtey especially since there is relatively no competition in its genre. Strongest markets should be FRANCE, JAPAN, and GERMANY.

Murder by Numbers: It should benefit from opening in an uncrowded marketplace (since it opens in Europe in late June). If advertising is better than in the U.S. it should have relativley decent numbers, but nothing special. It should accumulate $31 million in its run with its strongest markets in MEXICO, THE NETHERLANDS, and AUSTRALIA.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones: $531 million

Spider-Man: $357 million

About a Boy: $101 million

The Scorpion King: $67 million

Panic Room: $84 million

Queen of the Damned: $21 million

Showtime: $39 million

John Q.: $28 million

Blade II: $67 million

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: $36 million

Ice Age: $173 million

Return to Neverland: $42 million