Around the World Roundup: 'Pink Panther' Prances to the Top
Inundated by serious and award-winning pictures, moviegoers embraced entertainment last weekend, crowning The Pink Panther champion and handing second place to The Chronicles of Narnia. Steve Martin's detective comedy snatched $9.2 million from 38 markets.
Germany was Pink Panther's best market, yielding a first place $2.1 million from 540 screens. The debut was just shy of Robots on the same frame last year. Elsewhere, France generated $1.4 million from 504 screens, and Australia produced $965,000 from 243 screens, while Switzerland managed $401,000 from 70. Including Spain's $6.9 million, Panther's overall total reached $30 million.
A mighty launch in China and a healthy second sojourn in Japan fuelled The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe's $7.8 million weekend. The family fantasy grossed $2.3 million from 165 screens in its first five days in China, distributor Buena Vista International's second largest opening ever there behind Pearl Harbor. In Japan, Narnia fell 24 percent, boasting $5.1 million from 350 screens for an $18.6 million total thus far. Narnia's foreign haul improved to $404.1 million.
Despite not winning the Best Picture Oscar, Brokeback Mountain grossed $5.5 million over the weekend. The romantic drama enjoyed an excellent third place start in Germany with $1.6 million from 152 screens. Internationally, Brokeback climbed to $67.5 million.
Walk the Line continued to surprise exhibitors with strong debuts and holds. In the United Kingdom, the Johnny Cash biographical drama rose 10 percent in its sixth frame (possibly due to Reese Witherspoon's Best Actress Oscar) to $1.1 million from 290 playdates for a $14.6 million total. It was strong in its South Korean launch as well, grossing $703,000 from 120 sites. With $48.5 million in the till, Walk the Line is close to surpassing Ray.
Capote grossed $2.6 million over the weekend, led by France's tenth place $659,200 opening at 78 screens. Major markets recorded low falls, including Germany's 16 percent ($637,874 total), Spain's 24 percent ($1.4 million) and the U.K.'s 14 percent ($1.6 million). Overall, Capote has made $8.8 million.
Best Picture winner Crash received a modest re-release in most markets, generally entering the Top 20 with $2,000 per screen averages, similar to its domestic performance. The urban drama has grabbed around $35 million in total.
Four movies made their international debuts last weekend. Leading the pack was The Hills Have Eyes, which was surprisingly strong in the U.K. with $2.1 million from 331 screens. Tristan and Isolde scored a mediocre $812,000 from 260 screens in Spain. Yours, Mine and Ours entered four markets for a $580,448 tally, mostly from Brazil with its second place $443,565 from 99 screens. Finally, Failure to Launch opened in Russia to $636,968 from 168 screens.
A number of pictures filled out the Top 10's in most markets again, but none recorded stand-out runs. The Exorcism of Emily Rose debuted in fifth place in Japan, grossing $1.1 million from 238 screens for an international total of $63.5 million. Underworld: Evolution grossed $4 million over the weekend thanks to first place openings in Malaysia ($420,757 from 50), Hong Kong ($331,168 from 27) and Taiwan ($282,467 from 19), and, overall, the sequel has amassed $32.6 million. Syriana grossed $6 million with no openings for a $28.7 million total. Date Movie has $12.5 million, $7 million of which from the U.K. Firewall banked $2.1 million over the weekend for a $9.7 million total.
Germany was Pink Panther's best market, yielding a first place $2.1 million from 540 screens. The debut was just shy of Robots on the same frame last year. Elsewhere, France generated $1.4 million from 504 screens, and Australia produced $965,000 from 243 screens, while Switzerland managed $401,000 from 70. Including Spain's $6.9 million, Panther's overall total reached $30 million.
A mighty launch in China and a healthy second sojourn in Japan fuelled The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe's $7.8 million weekend. The family fantasy grossed $2.3 million from 165 screens in its first five days in China, distributor Buena Vista International's second largest opening ever there behind Pearl Harbor. In Japan, Narnia fell 24 percent, boasting $5.1 million from 350 screens for an $18.6 million total thus far. Narnia's foreign haul improved to $404.1 million.
Despite not winning the Best Picture Oscar, Brokeback Mountain grossed $5.5 million over the weekend. The romantic drama enjoyed an excellent third place start in Germany with $1.6 million from 152 screens. Internationally, Brokeback climbed to $67.5 million.
Walk the Line continued to surprise exhibitors with strong debuts and holds. In the United Kingdom, the Johnny Cash biographical drama rose 10 percent in its sixth frame (possibly due to Reese Witherspoon's Best Actress Oscar) to $1.1 million from 290 playdates for a $14.6 million total. It was strong in its South Korean launch as well, grossing $703,000 from 120 sites. With $48.5 million in the till, Walk the Line is close to surpassing Ray.
Capote grossed $2.6 million over the weekend, led by France's tenth place $659,200 opening at 78 screens. Major markets recorded low falls, including Germany's 16 percent ($637,874 total), Spain's 24 percent ($1.4 million) and the U.K.'s 14 percent ($1.6 million). Overall, Capote has made $8.8 million.
Best Picture winner Crash received a modest re-release in most markets, generally entering the Top 20 with $2,000 per screen averages, similar to its domestic performance. The urban drama has grabbed around $35 million in total.
Four movies made their international debuts last weekend. Leading the pack was The Hills Have Eyes, which was surprisingly strong in the U.K. with $2.1 million from 331 screens. Tristan and Isolde scored a mediocre $812,000 from 260 screens in Spain. Yours, Mine and Ours entered four markets for a $580,448 tally, mostly from Brazil with its second place $443,565 from 99 screens. Finally, Failure to Launch opened in Russia to $636,968 from 168 screens.
A number of pictures filled out the Top 10's in most markets again, but none recorded stand-out runs. The Exorcism of Emily Rose debuted in fifth place in Japan, grossing $1.1 million from 238 screens for an international total of $63.5 million. Underworld: Evolution grossed $4 million over the weekend thanks to first place openings in Malaysia ($420,757 from 50), Hong Kong ($331,168 from 27) and Taiwan ($282,467 from 19), and, overall, the sequel has amassed $32.6 million. Syriana grossed $6 million with no openings for a $28.7 million total. Date Movie has $12.5 million, $7 million of which from the U.K. Firewall banked $2.1 million over the weekend for a $9.7 million total.
