While 13 Oscar nominations for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button may not translate into such a dominant reality once the awards are handed out at tonight's 81st Annual Academy Awards, what is in no doubt is the incontrovertible evidence of the picture's commercial clout. Staying on top of the Hollywood pack overseas for yet another weekend, the fantasy drama added swept past $150m thanks to a $19.6m estimated haul through Warner Bros Pictures International.
Button remains active in more than 5,500 screens and has now reached $152m internationally and more than $275m worldwide. Key results hailed from France, where $2.9m from 580 screens raised the tally after three weekends to $15m, and Italy, where the picture stayed top in its second weekend on $2.8m from 441 for $8.6m.
A $1.9m haul from 420 screens in Japan raised the running total after three weekends to $16.9m, while $1.8m from 461 in Spain enable Button to hold on to the number one berth for the third consecutive weekend and stand at $11.7m. The picture added $1.6m from 420 in the UK for $10.8m after three and $1.6m from 644 in Germany for $16.1m after four. Button stayed top in its second weekend in South Korea on $1.4m from 255 for $4.1m and elsewhere has amassed $11.1m in Australia, $6.8m in Mexico and $6.6m in Brazil.
The Jim Carrey comedy Yes Man added $4.5m from approximately 2,200 screens in 51 markets for $119.3m, fuelled by a $1.9m number one launch in Germany on 588 screens. Latest figures put Yes Man on $15.2m in the UK, $11m in Italy, $9.5m in Australia and $7.6m in Russia. Gran Torino added $1.3m from 330 screens in four markets for an early $8.1m and stands at $7.2m in Australia.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International's Bolt scampered past $150m as a further $12.1m from 3,891 screens in 40 territories raised the tally to $155.2m. The animated romp made the most of half-terms holidays in the UK and stayed top for the second consecutive weekend on $5.9m from 594 for $20.2m. It has passed the entire run of Chicken Little and will overtake Cars by the middle of the week.
Bolt was the top Hollywood release in France as $3.8m from 692 saw it climb to $15.6m and beat the entire run of Cars. Elsewhere, Holland added $642,000 from 125 for $1.7m after two weekends, while Belgium stayed top for the second weekend in a row on $385,000 from 111 for $1.1m. Bolt added $340,000 in Sweden from 193 for $2.6m and will overtake Cars by the middle of the week.
Confessions Of A Shopaholic was also on good firm as $6.4m from 1,250 in ten raised the early international running total to $10.3m. The romantic comedy launched in second place in the UK behind Bolt on $4.3m from 350, which according to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International executives was roughly $36% ahead of Fox's launch of The Devil Wears Prada. The picture added $1m from 410 in the second weekend in Russia for $3.2m.
Disney is confident that Bedtime Stories has what it takes to pass Sony's You Don't Mess With The Zohan on $102.5m and become Adam Sandler's biggest international hit. So far Bedtime Stories stands at $89m after adding $1.6m from 1,370 screens in 34 territories and it opens in Portugal and Denmark next weekend. Miramax's Doubt added $1.5m from 1,012 in 37 for $13m and Beverly Hills Chihuahua grossed $1.3m from 1,073 in 15 for $43.7m.
New Line International's romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You grossed $7.2m from 2,237 screens in 35 territories to raise the overseas running total to $32.2m. The highlights came from a $1.3m hold from 230 in Australia that raised the tally there to $5.6m, while the picture increased its cumulative in the UK by a little under $1.3m from 375 to $10.7m.
He's Just Not That Into You has amassed $3.9m in South Korea, $3.5m in Germany and $3.2m in France. Jennifer Aniston and friends arrived in eight territories this weekend and took an impressive $267,298 from 23 in Singapore over four days and $205,513 from 63 in Poland over three.
Fox International's second world war thriller Valkyrie continued to push towards $100m as $7.5m from roughly 4,350 screens in 57 markets raised the tally to $83m. After two weekends the picture stands at $2.9m in Mexico and $2.1m in Brazil, while Spain has generated $7.m after four and the UK $8.8m after five.
Meanwhile the comedy Bride Wars added $3.5m from approximately 2,500 screens in 43 for $44m, powered by a $967,000 launch in Italy. Taken, which is days away from crossing $100m in North America, added $1.3m from 416 in three remaining overseas markets for $69m, $39.6m of which comes from Fox markets. Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia stands at $148.5m and should cross $1560m when it arrives in its final market of Japan next weekend.
Meanwhile the rapper biopic Notorious stands at $3.2m and local Brazilian hit Se Eu Fosse Voce 2 has reached an extraordinary $18.4m. after eight weeks in its home country. In local currency terms the picture has overtaken Ice Age 2 and ranks sixth in Brazil's all-time pantheon behind The Passion Of The Christ, the three Spider-man pictures and Titanic.
Sony Pictures Releasing International's The Pink Panther 2 added $6.2m from 2,510 screens in 46 markets for an early $13m running total. Weekend business was fired up by a $1.6m debut in Russia from 549 for an unknown rank, however Sony's Russian office confirmed that the 58.9m rubles launch was 16% bigger than that of The Pink Panther. In the second weekend in the UK $810,000 from 388 after a 31% slip raised the tally to $3.6m.
The comedy opened in France on $540,000 from 385 screens for an unknown rank. Meanwhile in other debuts The Pink Panther 2 launched in second place in Brazil on $500,000 from 306, second in Singapore on $275,000 from 25, top in the Ukraine on $205,000 from 55, fourth in Portugal on $145,000 from 36 and top in Indonesia on $125,000 from 30. Belgium delivered $135,000 from 38, Denmark $110,000 from 30 and Argentina $65,000 from 32 in eighth place.
Seven Pounds continued to inch towards $100m as $2.9m from 1,500 screens in 46 markets took the Will Smith drama to $87.6m thanks to a number three launch in Japan that drew $1.8m from 335. Spain led the holdover business on $300,000 from 285 in the sixth weekend for $13.4m. France stands at $9.5m after six.
Tom Tykwer's banking thriller The International starring Clive Owen added $2.3m from 905 screens in seven markets for a lackluster early $5.5m running total. It opened in second place in Australia on $710,000 from 229, fifth in Taiwan on $120,000 from 70, and fifth in Sweden on $105,000 from 30. Not surprisingly the bulk of business has come from Tykwer's home country Germany following the recent world premiere that opened the Berlinale - the tally there stands at $3.8m.
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans stands at $24.6m after several weeks in release and the fantasy action prequel managed $1.6m from 1,038 screens in 39 markets over the weekend, the highlight being a $565,000 Italian debut on 122 screens. Ranking was unconfirmed at time of writing.
Universal's smash musical Mamma Mia! was due to cross $450m on Sunday [February 22] thanks to a $1.3m haul in Japan from 342 venues through UPI that pushed the running total there to $20.9m.
Japanese audiences played a big part a successful weekend for Changeling, rewarding the period mystery with the number one slot following a $2.4m debut from 301. Overall the picture grossed $3.2m from 1,040 in 47 territories for $61.4m.
The Tale Of Despereaux added $1.4m from 1,140 dates in 35 territories for $28.5m, buoyed by a great second weekend in France that produced $700,000 from 310 dates after climbing 8% during school holidays to put the tally at $1.7m. Milk added $1m from 450 sites in 23 territories (including five Universal territories) for $9.2m and opened in Brazil on $150,000 from 50 dates. Coraline grossed $900,000 from 637 in six for an early $4.8m and ranks second in Mexico on $3.4m after three weekends. The comedy Role Models stands at $19.7m and has amassed $12.1m in the UK after seven. Frost/Nixon stands at $7m.
DreamWorks-Paramount's family title Hotel For Dogs took $5.6m through PPI from 2,336 venues in 26 territories for an early $23.5m international running total. The weekend haul was dominated by an excellent $1.7m hold in the UK from 433 that raised the running total there to $6.8m. Hotel For Dogs launched in 12 new territories, among them France, where it grossed $551,000 from 241, Argentina on $214,000 from 46, Brazil on $209,000 from 123, and the Netherlands on $185,000 from 59.
Friday The 13th added $4.1m from 2,138 sites in 31 territories for $16.1m, while the Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio period drama Revolutionary Road added $2m from 1,783 sites in 50 territories for $46.5m. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa stands at $401.3m.
Button remains active in more than 5,500 screens and has now reached $152m internationally and more than $275m worldwide. Key results hailed from France, where $2.9m from 580 screens raised the tally after three weekends to $15m, and Italy, where the picture stayed top in its second weekend on $2.8m from 441 for $8.6m.
A $1.9m haul from 420 screens in Japan raised the running total after three weekends to $16.9m, while $1.8m from 461 in Spain enable Button to hold on to the number one berth for the third consecutive weekend and stand at $11.7m. The picture added $1.6m from 420 in the UK for $10.8m after three and $1.6m from 644 in Germany for $16.1m after four. Button stayed top in its second weekend in South Korea on $1.4m from 255 for $4.1m and elsewhere has amassed $11.1m in Australia, $6.8m in Mexico and $6.6m in Brazil.
The Jim Carrey comedy Yes Man added $4.5m from approximately 2,200 screens in 51 markets for $119.3m, fuelled by a $1.9m number one launch in Germany on 588 screens. Latest figures put Yes Man on $15.2m in the UK, $11m in Italy, $9.5m in Australia and $7.6m in Russia. Gran Torino added $1.3m from 330 screens in four markets for an early $8.1m and stands at $7.2m in Australia.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International's Bolt scampered past $150m as a further $12.1m from 3,891 screens in 40 territories raised the tally to $155.2m. The animated romp made the most of half-terms holidays in the UK and stayed top for the second consecutive weekend on $5.9m from 594 for $20.2m. It has passed the entire run of Chicken Little and will overtake Cars by the middle of the week.
Bolt was the top Hollywood release in France as $3.8m from 692 saw it climb to $15.6m and beat the entire run of Cars. Elsewhere, Holland added $642,000 from 125 for $1.7m after two weekends, while Belgium stayed top for the second weekend in a row on $385,000 from 111 for $1.1m. Bolt added $340,000 in Sweden from 193 for $2.6m and will overtake Cars by the middle of the week.
Confessions Of A Shopaholic was also on good firm as $6.4m from 1,250 in ten raised the early international running total to $10.3m. The romantic comedy launched in second place in the UK behind Bolt on $4.3m from 350, which according to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International executives was roughly $36% ahead of Fox's launch of The Devil Wears Prada. The picture added $1m from 410 in the second weekend in Russia for $3.2m.
Disney is confident that Bedtime Stories has what it takes to pass Sony's You Don't Mess With The Zohan on $102.5m and become Adam Sandler's biggest international hit. So far Bedtime Stories stands at $89m after adding $1.6m from 1,370 screens in 34 territories and it opens in Portugal and Denmark next weekend. Miramax's Doubt added $1.5m from 1,012 in 37 for $13m and Beverly Hills Chihuahua grossed $1.3m from 1,073 in 15 for $43.7m.
New Line International's romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You grossed $7.2m from 2,237 screens in 35 territories to raise the overseas running total to $32.2m. The highlights came from a $1.3m hold from 230 in Australia that raised the tally there to $5.6m, while the picture increased its cumulative in the UK by a little under $1.3m from 375 to $10.7m.
He's Just Not That Into You has amassed $3.9m in South Korea, $3.5m in Germany and $3.2m in France. Jennifer Aniston and friends arrived in eight territories this weekend and took an impressive $267,298 from 23 in Singapore over four days and $205,513 from 63 in Poland over three.
Fox International's second world war thriller Valkyrie continued to push towards $100m as $7.5m from roughly 4,350 screens in 57 markets raised the tally to $83m. After two weekends the picture stands at $2.9m in Mexico and $2.1m in Brazil, while Spain has generated $7.m after four and the UK $8.8m after five.
Meanwhile the comedy Bride Wars added $3.5m from approximately 2,500 screens in 43 for $44m, powered by a $967,000 launch in Italy. Taken, which is days away from crossing $100m in North America, added $1.3m from 416 in three remaining overseas markets for $69m, $39.6m of which comes from Fox markets. Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia stands at $148.5m and should cross $1560m when it arrives in its final market of Japan next weekend.
Meanwhile the rapper biopic Notorious stands at $3.2m and local Brazilian hit Se Eu Fosse Voce 2 has reached an extraordinary $18.4m. after eight weeks in its home country. In local currency terms the picture has overtaken Ice Age 2 and ranks sixth in Brazil's all-time pantheon behind The Passion Of The Christ, the three Spider-man pictures and Titanic.
Sony Pictures Releasing International's The Pink Panther 2 added $6.2m from 2,510 screens in 46 markets for an early $13m running total. Weekend business was fired up by a $1.6m debut in Russia from 549 for an unknown rank, however Sony's Russian office confirmed that the 58.9m rubles launch was 16% bigger than that of The Pink Panther. In the second weekend in the UK $810,000 from 388 after a 31% slip raised the tally to $3.6m.
The comedy opened in France on $540,000 from 385 screens for an unknown rank. Meanwhile in other debuts The Pink Panther 2 launched in second place in Brazil on $500,000 from 306, second in Singapore on $275,000 from 25, top in the Ukraine on $205,000 from 55, fourth in Portugal on $145,000 from 36 and top in Indonesia on $125,000 from 30. Belgium delivered $135,000 from 38, Denmark $110,000 from 30 and Argentina $65,000 from 32 in eighth place.
Seven Pounds continued to inch towards $100m as $2.9m from 1,500 screens in 46 markets took the Will Smith drama to $87.6m thanks to a number three launch in Japan that drew $1.8m from 335. Spain led the holdover business on $300,000 from 285 in the sixth weekend for $13.4m. France stands at $9.5m after six.
Tom Tykwer's banking thriller The International starring Clive Owen added $2.3m from 905 screens in seven markets for a lackluster early $5.5m running total. It opened in second place in Australia on $710,000 from 229, fifth in Taiwan on $120,000 from 70, and fifth in Sweden on $105,000 from 30. Not surprisingly the bulk of business has come from Tykwer's home country Germany following the recent world premiere that opened the Berlinale - the tally there stands at $3.8m.
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans stands at $24.6m after several weeks in release and the fantasy action prequel managed $1.6m from 1,038 screens in 39 markets over the weekend, the highlight being a $565,000 Italian debut on 122 screens. Ranking was unconfirmed at time of writing.
Universal's smash musical Mamma Mia! was due to cross $450m on Sunday [February 22] thanks to a $1.3m haul in Japan from 342 venues through UPI that pushed the running total there to $20.9m.
Japanese audiences played a big part a successful weekend for Changeling, rewarding the period mystery with the number one slot following a $2.4m debut from 301. Overall the picture grossed $3.2m from 1,040 in 47 territories for $61.4m.
The Tale Of Despereaux added $1.4m from 1,140 dates in 35 territories for $28.5m, buoyed by a great second weekend in France that produced $700,000 from 310 dates after climbing 8% during school holidays to put the tally at $1.7m. Milk added $1m from 450 sites in 23 territories (including five Universal territories) for $9.2m and opened in Brazil on $150,000 from 50 dates. Coraline grossed $900,000 from 637 in six for an early $4.8m and ranks second in Mexico on $3.4m after three weekends. The comedy Role Models stands at $19.7m and has amassed $12.1m in the UK after seven. Frost/Nixon stands at $7m.
DreamWorks-Paramount's family title Hotel For Dogs took $5.6m through PPI from 2,336 venues in 26 territories for an early $23.5m international running total. The weekend haul was dominated by an excellent $1.7m hold in the UK from 433 that raised the running total there to $6.8m. Hotel For Dogs launched in 12 new territories, among them France, where it grossed $551,000 from 241, Argentina on $214,000 from 46, Brazil on $209,000 from 123, and the Netherlands on $185,000 from 59.
Friday The 13th added $4.1m from 2,138 sites in 31 territories for $16.1m, while the Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio period drama Revolutionary Road added $2m from 1,783 sites in 50 territories for $46.5m. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa stands at $401.3m.
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