Around-the-World Roundup: 'Taken 2' Crushes Predecessor, 'Ted' Sets New Record
Taken 2 easily took the top spot at the overseas box office for the second-straight weekend, and has already made significantly more than its predecessor. Meanwhile, Ted reached its latest milestone, while tsunami drama The Impossible got off to an incredible start in Spain.

Taken 2 added $44.2 million this weekend, and including Monday's grosses it has already made $134.8 million at the overseas box office. That's $53 million above the $81.8 million that the original Taken made in its entire run. Worldwide, Taken 2 has already earned $222.6 million, and will pass the first movie's $226.8 million total on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The top market was the U.K., where the thriller took first place again with $6 million. That was followed by China with $4 million, Australia with $2.6 million, and Mexico with $1.7 million. Its biggest opening came in Italy, where it debuted in fourth place with an underwhelming $1.3 million.

Ted grossed $14.4 million in 43 markets this weekend for a new foreign total of $251 million. That makes it Universal Pictures International's number one movie this year ahead of Snow White and the Huntsman ($241.3 million) and Battleship ($237.6 million), both of which are big budget, effects-driven movies that had guaranteed overseas appeal.

Worldwide, Ted has now earned $469 million, which makes it the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy ahead of the first Hangover's $467.5 million. With openings in Malaysia, India, Venezuela and Japan on the way, Ted will ultimately wind up above $500 million.

Hotel Transylvania had its best foreign weekend yet with $14.1 million. It bounced to $4.3 million in Brazil thanks in part to a national holiday there on Friday, and it also had a fine $2.8 million debut in the U.K. To date, the Sony Pictures Animation movie has earned $49.6 million in foreign markets.

A full two months ahead of its opening in the U.S., The Impossible scored $13.3 million (including previews) from 638 screens in Spain this weekend. According to distributor Warner Bros. International, this is the highest debut ever in Spain, and part of the credit here has to go to Spanish director J.A. Bayona.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted extended its phenomenal overseas run this weekend with a $10.3 million haul. Most of that came from Germany, where the movie dipped just 27 percent to $6.3 million. The three-quel's overseas total reached $465.2 million, and worldwide it's at $681.6 million. With a big U.K. opening on the schedule this weekend, Madagascar 3 should be over $700 million by Sunday.

Outside of China and Russia, where figures aren't available, Looper earned $8.5 million this weekend. Combining the reporting markets with extrapolations from some available data in China and Russia suggests that Looper has already earned around $75 million overseas, and will likely wind up over $100 million before the end of its run.

Frankenweenie began its overseas roll-out in earnest this weekend to modest results: the movie grossed $4.9 million from nine markets for an early total of $5.3 million. It took third place in Mexico with $1.66 million and fourth place in Spain with $1.06 million, while it tanked in eighth place in South Korea with just $237,000.

Next weekend, Paranormal Activity 4 is set to open in at least 24 markets including Australia, Germany, Russia, Spain and the U.K.

Other Notables - Weekend Gross - Gross-to-Date

Resident Evil 5 - $5.6 - $170.4

Ice Age 4 - $3.3 - $704.2

Savages - $2.9 - $19.2

Intouchables - $2.2 - $387.9

Bourne Legacy - $2 - $124.2

Lawless - $1.4 - $12.6

The Lorax - $1.3 - $130.9

Abe Lincoln - $1.05 - $70.6

Total Recall - $1 - $120.7

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Around-the-World Roundup: 'Taken 2' Off to Great Start Overseas

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