International Details - Ice Age Freezes out Competition

April 9, 2006

With Ice Age: The Meltdown dominating the international box office, the rest of the charts were weaker than usual with several films in the top 30 this week that would not have charted last week. Failure to Launch had its best weekend haul on the international scene taking in $4.17 million on 1300 screens in 14 markets for a running tally of $13.61 million. Much of that came from the film's opening in two major markets, the U.K. and Italy. In the former is finished second with $1.88 million on 352 screens while in the latter it managed just fourth with $686,000 on 220 screens. It's best market in total is Germany, despite the fact that it fell out of the top five there; so far the film has pulled in $4.10 million after three weeks there, including $841,000 on 354 screens this weekend.

• The Pink Panther had one of the worst week-to-week drop-offs on the charts this weekend plummeting 55% to $4.15 million on 2958 screens in 31 markets. However, the film has now brought in $66.61 million after nearly two months of release and is a financial success by any definition of the term. Part of the reason for the massive drop-off was the lack of new openings with its best market being the U.K. where it added $1.03 million on 401 screens to its three-week total of $8.01 million.
• Narnia was down just 2% thanks mostly to its performance in Japan where it was up 11% to $3.42 million on 698 screens for an 11 week total of $44.77. Overall the film took in $3.82 million on 1259 screens in 18 markets for a total of $437.15 million internationally and $727.17 million worldwide.
• After one weekend in the top five, Final Destination 3 fell nearly 50% to $3.80 million on 1591 screens in 24 market for a $39.24 million international total. Even taking into account the lack of new openings, this was still a steep decline. Typical of the film's performance was its sophomore stint in France where it fell from first to third with $1.32 million over the weekend and $4.27 million in total.
• Conversely, Firewall had one of the best week-to-week growth in the top 30 making the top ten with $3.03 million on 1376 screens in 17 markets for a still weak international total of $18.30 million. It was helped out by a trio of openings in major markets, the biggest of which came in the U.K. where the film finished seventh with $808,000 on 281 screens. Its best came in Japan where it finished fourth with $700,000 on 172 screens. Without doubt, the weakest of the three was Germany where the film had to settle for ninth with just $472,000 on 303 screens.
• Almost Love remained in first place in South Korea down just 38% to $2.55 million on 348 screens over the weekend and $9.14 million in total.
• The Shaggy Dog opened in third place in the U.K. with $1.44 million on 417 screens while overall it made $2.45 million on 974 screens in 10 markets for an international total of $8.54 million so far.
• There must be holidays in Japan as half the top ten showed growth this weekend. Doraemon 2006 was among those films as it climbed 22% to $2.43 million on 306 screens for a five-week total of $22.33 million.
• Brokeback Mountain is just wrapping up its international run adding $2.29 million on 1424 screens in 37 markets to its international total of $88.61 million. At this rate it will likely miss $100 million internationally, but it could come awfully close.
• Hostel peaked in sixth place last weekend but fell a prodigious 46% falling to 15th in the process with $2.17 million on 916 screens in 26 markets for a total of $19.52 million. The film didn't have any major openings this weekend and doesn't have one till the end of April when it debuts in Germany.
• Eight Below nearly doubled the number of markets it is playing in, but its overall box office only climbed 12% to $1.98 million on 1312 screens in 11 markets for a still early total of $7.22 million so far. This is particularly disappointing since it opened in Mexico, which is known for being a family friendly market. However, the competition was extreme and that left the film in third place was just $434,000 on 313 screens. It fared no better in Italy as it debuted in eighth in that market with $503,000 on 159 screens.
• Il Caimano fell 40%, but that was still enough for it to climb to first place in Italy with $1.61 million on 386 screens for a two-week total of $5.56 million.
• Fun With Dick and Jane debuted in second place in South Korea with $1.33 million on 159 screens over the weekend and $1.58 million in total. That was the vast majority of the film's total of $1.54 million earned on 475 screens in 23 markets while the film's total hit $89.14 million internationally and $199.69 million worldwide. It is safe to assume the film has already reached $200 million worldwide, but without any more market to open in, it won't get much further.
• Helen The Baby Fox shot up the charts party because of its 25% growth in Japan, but also because of much weaker competition. Its $1.50 million on 267 screens would have placed 24th last week, but it's good enough for 19th this week. In total the film as made $9.09 million in its home market after just three weeks of release.
• Il Mio Miglior Nemico fell from first to third in Italy $1.47 million on 365 screens for a total of $20.73 million so far.
• The Hills Have Eyes added $1.47 million on 667 screens in 9 markets for an international total of $9.51 million so far. Its best opening came in Hong Kong where it finished sixth with $147,000 on 20 screens while its best market was Germany with $848,000 on 357 screens over the weekend and $2.28 million in total.
• Big Momma's House 2 is shedding screens and markets at an incredible rate, but it still managed $1.45 million on 674 screens in 11 markets for an international total of $59.77 million. Had it earned that much worldwide, I think the studio would have been happy. Its best market of the weekend was France where it slipped to fourth place with $1.01 million on 357 screens for a two-week total of $2.97 million.
• Syriana opened in Hong Kong and South Korea over the weekend but still fell to 23rd place with $1.42 million on 934 screens in 37 markets for a $40.59 million international total. In the former market it finished in seventh place with $113,00 on 15 screens while in the latter is debuted in eighth with $544,000 on 101, including previews.
• Date Movie had the worst week-to-week performance plummeting 58% and falling from 9th to 24th on the charts. Overall the film made $1.38 million on 996 screens in 16 markets for a total of $23.66 million after seven weeks of release.
• Despite no major openings, and a greatly reduced screen count, Pride & Prejudice remained nearly flat adding $1.14 million on 326 screens in 18 markets for an international total of $78.21 million overall. The film earned all but a rounding error of that in South Korea where it was down just 3% to $1.14 million on 150 screens over the weekend and $3.15 million in total.
• Yours, Mine and Ours climbed a few spots to 26th with $1.14 million on 634 screens in 20 markets for an abysmal international performance of $4.68 million so far. It opened in the U.K., which should have been the film's best market, but it could only manage a ninth place finish with $574,000 on 252 screens. If that does turn out to be the film's best market, then it is in even more serious trouble that first thought.
• Walk the Line fell to 27th place with $1.08 million on 945 screens in 21 markets for an international total of $61.11 million.
• Volver fell from first to third in Spain with $973,000 on 235 screens for a $6.25 million total there.
• Memoirs Of A Geisha slipped below the $1 million market taking in $966,000 on 933 screens in 35 markets. It did manage to top $100 million during the midweek and its international total now sits at $101.22 million.
• La Planete Blanche, a.k.a., The White Planet had the best week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in France down 37% to $860,000 on 422 screens for a $2.55 million total after just two weeks.
• Nanny McPhee added an estimated $800,000 on 1000 screens to its $63.3 million international total.
• March of the Penguins added an estimated $400,000 to its international total of $44 million. Most of that came from its debuts in Australia, ($262,000 on 40 screens), and New Zealand, ($56,000 on 10 screens). In both markets the film opened in sixth place.
• Sione's Wedding opened in first place in its native New Zealand with a very impressive $383,000 on 45 screens. This isn't up to the same level as The World's Fastest Indian, but it is good nonetheless.
• Speaking of The World's Fastest Indian, it opened in Australia but missed the top ten with just $151,000 on 178 screens including previews.

Filed under: International Box Office, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Walk the Line, Fun with Dick & Jane, Failure to Launch, Brokeback Mountain, The Pink Panther, Eight Below, La marche de l'empereur, Big Momma's House 2, The Shaggy Dog, Memoirs of a Geisha, Final Destination 3, Yours, Mine and Ours, Syriana, Firewall, Date Movie, Hostel, Nanny McPhee, The Hills Have Eyes, Pride & Prejudice, The World's Fastest Indian