There were no 63% drops for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban overseas.  Instead the production added 16 countries over the weekend and ranked No. 1 everywhere.  Azkaban grabbed an estimated $6.4m from 40 countries and over 9,900 screens last weekend for a stunning $204.8m international total in just two weekends.

Australia recorded the best opening for the weekend for the third installment in the Harry Potter series with $8.6m (AU$11.9m) gross from 452 screens, which was the fourth biggest opening of all time in Australia behind The Lord of the Rings 2 & 3 and Star Wars: Episode II.  The debut was 11.6% ahead of Chamber of Secrets, 28% ahead of Sorcerer's Stone, and 12% ahead of Spider-Man.

In Sweden Azkaban grossed $2.8m (Krona 20.4m) from 164 screens (including previews) to rank as the fourth best opening film of all time in that territory behind the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.  The debut was 14% better than HP2 and 26% better than HP1.  Denmark also had the fourth biggest industry opening ever, but it was behind The Chamber of Secrets and The Lord of the Rings 3 & 2.  Azkaban took in $1.8m (Krone 11.1m) over the weekend on 137 screens, which was 2% ahead HP1.

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban raked in $1.6m (Kroner 10.9m) from 112 screens in Norway making it the third biggest opening film ever there behind Return of the King and Chamber of Secrets (by 3%).  The picture was 15.7% higher than HP1.

In South Africa Azkaban grossed $677k (Rand 4.4m) from 89 screens, including previews.  Excluding previews the film grossed $630k (Rand 4.1m), which makes it the second biggest WB opening movie ever behind The Matrix Reloaded.  The debut was 6.8% higher than HP2.

In Hungary Azkaban grossed $650k (Forint 132.5m) from 60 screens, making it the sixth biggest industry opener ever behind The Return of the King, Attack of the Clones, The Two Towers, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions.  Results outperformed HP2 by 17% and HP1 by 13%.

Israel's start of $530k (New Shekel 2.4m) from 73 screens was the fifth biggest opening weekend ever behind The Matrix Reloaded, The Lord of the Rings 3 & 2, and The Sorcerer's Stone.  HP3 was 17% ahead The Chamber of Secrets.

In the Czech Republic Azkaban grossed $446k (Koruna 11.3m) from 37 screens, making it the industry's fifth biggest opener ever behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Matrix Reloaded.  The film outperformed HP2 and HP1 by 14% and 17%, respectively.

In both Colombia and Bolivia, HP3 ranked as the biggest opening ever for a WB film with estimated grosses of $569k (Peso 1.5bn) from 102 screens and $80k (Boliviano 618k) from 9 screens, respectively.

All other films were spooked away by The Prisoner of Azkaban in its opening weekend, which left it with virtually no competition and certainly no direct competition and the same can be said about its second weekend.  The film ranked No. 1 in all markets despite falling above 40% in several of them.

After a record-breaking holiday opening in the U.K., HP3 dropped 54% last weekend, grossing $7,979,760 (£4,391,262) from 535 situations for an outstanding total of $57.8m (£31.6m).  Azkaban is tracking 5% ahead of HP2 during the same period.

After its somewhat disappointing start in Germany HP3 made up for it with just a 35% drop for $9.9m (€8.1m) from 1,365 screens for a $28.8m (€23.6m) total.  In France Azkaban fell 38% from its opening weekend, grossing $9.7m (€8m) from over 900 screens.  The film is tracking 4% behind HP2 with a two weekend tally of $27.6m (€22.6m).

Italy plunged 47% for $3.7m (€3m) from 743 screens for a $13.7m (€11.3m) total, which is still 6% ahead of HP2.  WB noted that this was particularly encouraging, given that HP2 opened in December and HP3 is playing in June.  The Summer has been consistently dismal in Italy despite exhibitor's efforts to draw in audiences.  WB also noted that midweek numbers for HP3 have been consistently stronger than both HP2 and HP1.

After a phenomenal opening weekend, ranking as the second biggest ever, Azkaban grossed $2.9m (Peso 33.3m) from 940 screens in Mexico, down 45%, making its the biggest second weekend ever for a WB film.  The estimated cume to date of $10.3m (Peso 118.2m) is tracking a stunning 68% ahead of HP1 and 41% ahead of HP2.  Clearly director Alfonso Cuarón has phenomenal star power in Mexico.

In Brazil Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban yielded just 31% from its opening weekend, grossing $1.3m (Real 4.2m) from 495 screens for a $4.5m (Real 14.4m) total. The film is now playing 44% higher than HP1 and 22% higher than HP2.

In Taiwan Azkaban grossed $1.3m (New Taiwanese Dollar 43.4m) from 161 prints, off 48%.  The estimated total is $5.7m (New Taiwanese Dollar 191.8m), which is nearly on par with HP2.

Azkaban fell 43% in Russia, grossing an estimated $1.3m (Rouble 38.8m) for a $4.9m (Rouble 143.2m) total.  WB noted that the film fell just 38% on Saturday, when Russia played Spain in Euro 2004 Soccer Championships.

In Switzerland (which played Croatia in Euro 2004 on Saturday) there was also no impact from Euro 2004, since Azkaban only fell 23% over its second weekend (and 32% on Saturday), with a weekend gross of $1.6m (Franc 1.9m) and a total of $3.7m (Franc 4.7m).

With 22 countries still to open in, including Japan, Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban is well on its way at grossing north of $400m, but most likely eclipsing Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secret's $614.7m total to become the fourth highest grossing film in the international market ever.

The Day After Tomorrow added $33.7m to its coffers last weekend for a superb three-week total of $239.2m.

The weekend results for the eco-disaster picture were chiefly powered by $5.3m on 607 screens in its second weekend in Japan, where it ranked No. 1, falling just 17% for $19.6m.  South Korea fell just 6% in its second weekend on $2.3m on 319 for $8.2m and a No. 1 rank.

Third weekend holdovers had solid drops between 25 and 40%.  However, some results were over 50%.  The U.K. fell 37% to $3.6m for $33.8m while Germany added $3.7m on 988 and fell 29% for second place and $23.5m.  France added $1.7m on 685 and fell 35% for $11.9m.

Spain fell 50% and added $1.5m on 475 for first place and $12.1m.  Taiwan fell just 14%, however, and grossed $1m for $8.2m.  Mexico was off 36% and grossed $1.9m on 670 for second place and a $14.9m total.  Brazil was off only 8% for $1m on 420, good enough for second place and a $5.3m cumulative score.  In Australia The Day After Tomorrow fell 46% on $1.4m for $10.7m.  In Italy the film dove 55% to $933,000 for $10.7m and in China the film grossed $785,000, off 50%, for $6.1m.

Thanks to a super hold of 28% for an estimated $16.7m weekend from more than 7,200 screens in 59 markets Troy was able to move past Ocean's Eleven, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix to become the sixth highest grossing Warner Brothers' picture ever internationally with a $293.2m total.

Troy had an outstanding debut in China grossing an estimated (very rough) $1.6m (Yuan 13m) from 170 screens, ranking No. 1 in the markets with results 7% ahead of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets and 17% ahead of The Matrix Reloaded's debut.

Troy held extremely well in most markets including:

5th weekend in Germany - 30% drop for an estimated total of $31.7m (€26.7m)
4th weekend in the U.K. - 32% drop for $27.5m (£15.6m)
4th weekend in Japan - 19% drop for $26.7m (¥3bn)
4th weekend in South Korea - 25% drop for $17.2m (Won 20.2bn)
5th weekend in Mexico - 30% drop for $13.9m (Pesos 161m)
5th weekend in Brazil - 0% drop for $8.1m (Real 24.7m) - Corpus Christi Holiday
5th weekend in the Netherlands - 32% drop for $5.2m (€4.4m)
5th weekend in Belgium - 18% drop for $4.4m (€3.7m)
5th weekend in Finland - 20% drop for $1.2m (€1m)
5th weekend in Venezuela - 26% drop for $1.2m (Bolivar 2.3bn)

Dawn of the Dead opened in Australia this weekend with a gross of $748,291 at 184 dates.  It is tied with Raising Helen for No. 4 and just behind No. 3 - Troy.  Dawn's opening is 30% bigger than 28 Days Later... and 23% below The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  In New Zealand, Dawn also opened No. 4 with $50,958 at 42 dates, which is at the same level as the opening of Jeepers Creepers 2. 

Dawn of the Dead had several other debuts as well including the Philippines' superb $162,997 start on 38 screens.  In Poland the film grossed $79,517 on 31 screens in its first three days and took $77,646 on 20 from its first four in Switzerland.

Dawn grossed a $1.2m from 323 screens and 11 countries over the weekend. To date, Dawn has grossed $17,514,943 from releases in 22 UIP territories and UIP still has 14 territories left to open in.  The total international cume, including non-UIP territories, is $33m. 

Van Helsing's international weekend estimate is $1.7m from 1,936 dates in 30 territories, which raised the international cume to $140.6m.  This includes $131,317,005 from the UIP territories.

In the U.K., Van Helsing was No. 4 in its fifth week.  The weekend gross was $322,915 at 271 dates, off 45%, which raised the 38-day cume to $26,767,392. 

In Germany, Van Helsing grossed $113,195 at 201 dates, off 70%.  Van Helsing's 39-day cume is $14,336,440. 

In Spain, Van Helsing grossed $222,556 at 286 dates, off 34%.  It was No. 5 and the 38-day cume is $11,248,517, which is 6% bigger than The Mummy and 26% bigger than The Mummy Returns.  It will pass the final gross of The Mummy Returns ($11,576,048) next weekend. 

In Australia, Van Helsing grossed $167,259 at 152 dates, off 49%.  The 39-day cume is $9,332,516 and it just passed the final total of The Mummy Returns ($9,187,502), which makes Van Helsing Universal's 18^th biggest release ever in Australia.       

Connie and Carla, which Universal has rights for in the U.K. and Spain, opened in limited release in the U.K. last weekend.  It was No. 5 with a weekend gross of $300k at 121 dates.

Last year's Final Destination 2 opened in its last scheduled markets last weekend.  The sequel to New Line's Final Destination grossed a solid $370,595 on 100 screens in South Korea.  The film's international total grew to $43,246,751, which is a respectable number compared to the original's $59,188,973.  The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King's total is now $741,415,086 for a worldwide cume-to-date of $1,118,442,411.