Around the World Roundup: 'Night' Makes It Five in a Row
With a big opening in Spain, Night at the Museum stayed on top of the foreign box office for the fifth consecutive weekend, grossing $14.6 million from 48 markets. Spain contributed $5.6 million from 483 screens, which was the fourth biggest launch ever for a non-sequel, topping the first installments of the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Spider-Man and Pirates of the Caribbean series. The family comedy reigned in other Spanish-language markets as well, including Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, slipped up in Brazil with a third place $977,000 from 461 screens. Museum's other debuts included an impressive $800,000 in the Philippines. Overall, its total climbed to $193.7 million with France and China on the horizon.

Blood Diamond was second overall with $12.2 million but its new markets were moderate. In the United Kingdom, the adventure drama grabbed $2.9 million for a decent second place finish. It was second in Germany as well but with a far weaker $1.6 million, while, in Italy, Step Up squeaked ahead of its $1.7 million. With $27.1 million in the till, Blood Diamond opens in France on Wednesday and then in Russia a day later.

The Pursuit of Happyness continued its strong run with $12.1 million from 15 territories for a $48.2 million total. The drama was the top import but second on the weekend chart in Japan with a solid $2.9 million start from 271 screens. More impressive, however, was the movie's sub-40 percent drop-off rates in all the major markets, including Italy ($15.1 million total), Germany ($5.9 million) and Australia ($7.9 million).

Falling to fourth, Rocky Balboa remained strong with $10.2 million for a $38.2 million total. The sports drama was a knock-out in France with $4.1 million from 493 screens, easily topping recent boxing movies like Cinderella Man and Million Dollar Baby. Elsewhere, Rocky debuted in Switzerland with a first place $279,000 and held on to the top spot in the U.K. with a $3.6 million second weekend, but it lacked appeal in Russia, where none of the original movies received a release, with just $557,000 from 231 screens.

Italian sequel Manuale d'amore 2 (Capitoli successivi) was in the international top five again with a $6.5 million from its home market from 720 screens. Down merely 20 percent, its total is $19 million.

Best Picture nominee Babel added $5.4 million last for a $54.9 million total, holding well all around including Spain's $1.1 million second weekend and drops less than 20 percent across Latin America. The drama continued to struggle in the U.K. just as it has domestically. Its $2.6 million in two weeks pales compared to other Oscar-nominated pictures like The Departed ($23.9 million total), The Queen ($15.4 million) or Little Miss Sunshine ($6.1 million)

Lacking a Best Picture nomination, Dreamgirls floundered internationally. The musical nearly flopped in Italy ($370,041 from 162 screens) and Mexico ($217,395 from 112 screens). Spain's $585,861 opening, though, was an improvement, and Australia's 33 percent second-weekend fall showed some promise. The movie's early total stands at $3.6 million.

Led by Mexico's potent $2.7 million top-ranked start, Apocalypto had a $3.3 million weekend. The period action picture also grabbed $207,000 from 48 screens in Brazil and $336,000 from 56 in Taiwan, bringing its estimated overall total to $45 million.

Epic Movie had four day-and-date openings with its domestic launch, headlined by Australia's $2.2 million from only 207 screens, which bested predecessor Date Movie by 69 percent. Last year, Date Movie grossed $36.1 million internationally.

Venus, fresh off its Best Actor Oscar nomination for Peter O'Toole, kicked off its international campaign with an average $675,000 opening in the U.K.

Casino Royale rolled past $400 million on Friday, and it continues to shine in the U.K. with a $722,090 eleventh weekend ($104.3 million total) and in the Netherlands with a $212,041 tenth week ($10 million total).

Meanwhile, Curse of the Golden Flower reversed a recent trend in South Korea of poor showings from Chinese pictures. It ranked second $3.2 million there, which was its best opening outside of China thus far. The estimated foreign total stands at $50 million with all of Europe and Latin America ahead.

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• International Box Office Results