Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest set another record for Buena VistaInternational (BVI) as it remained the international box office champion for aneighth consecutive weekend Ð the longest run at the top in the company'shistory.

Meanwhile Cars ranked third in the international market behind Universal/UIP's MiamiVice, giving BVIexecutives plenty to cheer about with first and third place finishes.

Dead Man's Chest added an estimated $17.8m from 7,387 sites to raise the tally to$564.7m, which combines with the $407.6m domestic score for a massive $972.3mglobal take.

By early next weekend BVI chiefs expect it to overtake HarryPotter And The Sorcerer's Stone to become the third biggest picture in history.

Key drivers were a $3.2m haul in the sixth weekend in France, arecord industry opening in Greece that produced $2.6m, and a startling $100,000gross from 65 venues in war-torn Lebanon for the biggest opening of the yearthere.

The adventure romp stayed top for the third consecutive weekend inSpain on $2.1m for a superb $31m running total. Elsewhere the picture hasamassed a spectacular $91.5m in the UK after eight weekends, $74m in Japanafter six, and $54m in Germany after five.

Cars added$9.6m from 3,300 screens in 33 territories for $157.6m, and will move beyondits $398m global tally to cross $400m within days.

The result was fired up by a $5.2m Italian debut that generatedthe fourth biggest opening in history for an animated release. Cars also set a new mark for animated releasesin China with $1.2m from 135 screens. After five weekends the UK stands at$25.8m.

Miami Vice took an estimated $11.4m through UIP from 3,000 sites in 38territories to raise the cumulative total to $52m.

The action picture knocked off Dead Man's Chest to open top in Germany on $4m from 437sites and took 30% market share. It also opened top in Austria on $500,000 from80 and 27% market share, and launched in Brazil in second place on $610,000from 146.

The picture stayed top in France in its second weekend on $2.1m from637 for $7.4m, and ranked second in Australia on a $4.3m tally after three, andninth in the UK on $13m after four.

Miami Vice still has 19 territories to open including Japan this weekend. Thepicture, which stars Chinese siren Gong Li, has just been cleared for releasein China in mid-October.

The comedy You, Me And Dupree opened top in the UK on $3m from 406 andtook $4.3m overall from 851 sites in eight territories for a $13m total. Thereare 44 territories to open including Mexico this week.

Universal has Jet Li's Fearless in five territories and opened it inthird place in Australia on $535,000 from 139, and in sixth place in NewZealand on $52,000 from 19. The current total from Australia, New Zealand,Spain and the UK stands at $3.1m.

United 93 openedin fourth place in Spain on $1m from 120 and grossed $3m from 1,000international venues in 25 territories for a $24m total through UIP and $28mincluding France. The Break-Up added $3.3m from 1,400 in 46 for $67m, and The Fast And TheFurious: Tokyo Driftadded $1.6m from 1,530 in 44 for $83.5m.

Fox International's family sequel Garfield: A Tale Of TwoKitties grossed $7.2mfrom 5,000 screens in 20 markets to raise the tally to $77.6m. That result waspowered by an impressive $3.1m debut in Spain on 415 screens for an unconfirmedranking.

The comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend added $1.3m on 970 screens in 14 marketsfor $13.6m, while thriller The Sentinel raised its tally by $1.9m from 1,200 screens in ninemarkets powered by a $1.1m Mexican debut on 352 screens for $13.6m.

Executives at Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) wereriding high in the week the company announced $1bn in year-to-date ticketsales.

SPRI's animated title Monster House meanwhile added $5.8m from 2,500 screensin 24 markets for $29.1m, powered by a fourth place French debut that produced$1.4m from 400 screens.

The picture opened in Russia on $860,000 from 260 for an unknownranking, while $525,000 from 200 in Germany produced a ninth place debut, and$330,000 from 77 in the opening weekend in Taiwan was good enough for thirdplace. After three weekends Monster House ranks fifth in the UK and has amassed $8.5m.

Comedy Click added $2.8 on 1,100 screens in 28 markets for $30.3m. There wereno new openings, but it stayed top in Mexico in its second weekend on $1.3mfrom 416 for $4m. The picture also stayed top in Brazil on $500,000 on 181 for$3.3m after three.

Superman Returns added $3.3m from approximately 2,500 prints through Warner BrosPictures International for a $173m total.

After two weekends, the picture stands at $6.8m in Japan and ranksfourth, and $3.2m in Germany where it ranks fifth. Elsewhere it has amassed$29m in the UK, $15.2m in Mexico, $11.7m in Spain, $11.5m in France, and $8.7min Brazil.

M Night Shyamalan's Lady In The Water has reached $10m at the international boxoffice following a $4.5m weekend haul on 1,400 prints.

The mystery opened on $1.8m in Spain on 325 prints and rankedthird. It opened in France on $1.5m on 408 and ranked fourth. Romantic mystery TheLake House added $1.8mfrom 1,350 prints for $44m.

Paramount's animated feature Over The Hedge added $2m from 2,370 sites mostlythrough UIP for $154.5m, which excludes South Korea and Hong Kong. It opened inTurkey on $218,000 from 105.

Nacho Libre grossed $1m from 850 venues for $11m, and Mission: ImpossibleIII added $572,000 from757 international sites for a $261.1m tally.

Summit's dancedrama Step Up, whichhas crossed $50m at the domestic box office in three weekends, scored anexcellent number one debut in Holland. The picture usurped Dead Man's Chest, taking $472,000 from 49 screens.