DUE DATE TOPS INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE
The Hollywood News presents this weeks’ run-down of the International Box Office and analyses what the figures mean for the major Hollywood players.
YOUR WEEKLY TOP FIVE:
- 1. DUE DATE (New)
- 2. JACKASS 3-D (New)
- 3. DESPICABLE ME
- 4. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (Down)
- 5. RED ( Held Position)
The new yearly record was reached despite a seasonally average weekend overall, which saw director Todd Phillips‘ comedy DUE DATE co-starring the brilliant Robert Downey Jr. and the ingenius Zach Galifianakis take the No. 1 spot on the foreign circuit with $21.5 million collected from some 4,000 screens in 36 markets. DUE DATE premiered at No. 1 in the U.K. ($3.8 million from 450 sites), Germany ($3.6 million including previews from 519 spots) and No. 2 in Russia (an estimated $3.8 million from 543 screens).
Distributor Warner Bros. said the overseas DUE DATE opening tally was almost identical to that registered by The THE HANGOVER in the same markets. Phillips’ 2009 hit comedy went on to gross $191.6 million on the foreign circuit.
So there is understandably big expectations from the studio after such a successful opening.
JACKASS 3D finds itself at Number 2, drawing $12.5 million from 1,482 venues in just 14 markets. In only 10 days, the third Jackass title has already out-grossed its two predecessors. Overseas estimates currently stand at $18.8 million and the unstoppable DESPICABLE ME remains a high-flyer at Number 3.
Hollywood’s six major studios nailed down an annual box office high by weekend’s end with nearly two months of overseas playtime left on the 2010 calendar.
From January through October, 20th Century Fox, Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony and Universal, collectively grossed offshore box office of $10.661 billion, according to studio figures, from all territories outside of the U.S. and Canada.
These figures translate to an increase of 30% over last year’s comparable 10-month period, and only $39 million shy of calendar 2009’s record foreign box office of $10.7 billion. The $39-million box office gap was collectively erased by the majors in the Nov. 1 through Sunday period.
And, with several big tentpole Winter releases waiting in the wings – including Warner Bro.’s HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 which rolls out across the globe on Nov. 19, and Disney’s TRON: LEGACY, due in December – calendar 2010’s total foreign box office will be significantly higher than the previous 2009 record. (Just in October the majors collectively grossed $819 million overseas.)
Fox is leading the six studios with a 10-month box office return of $2.544 billion, of which $121.2 million was grossed offshore just in the month of October. The year-to-date tally, a Fox International record, is 43% higher than the company’s take in the January through October period of 2009.
Disney is second with $2.084 billion January through October, of which only $23.8 million was grossed last month. Vying to wrest second place from Disney this year is Warner Bro.’s, which registered $2.080 billion in 10 months, $192 million in October. Paramount weighed in with $1.688 billion over 10 months and $92.7 million in October.
Sony was the leading distributor of the big six in October with a monthly gross of $228.6 million while logging $1.222 billion since January. Universal also had a strong October, registered $161 million. The studio passed the $1-billion overseas gross mark last month, logging $1.043 billion in the January through October period.
Check back at the end of this week for a look at our WEEKEND PREVIEW feature, where you can find out everything you need to know about your movie- weekend.
