Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ruled the roost for the second weekend thanks to an estimated $43m haul that drove up the running total to $140m through Paramount Pictures International (PPI).

Number one debuts in Brazil and Mexico delivered $2.8m and $2.5m respectively, while the action film stayed top in South Korea where it has generated $24.5m after two weekends. It remained number one too in Japan and has reached $24m after the same amount of time.

Russia and France have produced in the region of $10m apiece after two weekends. The film opened in the UK on Dec 26 and rolls out in China, Italy, Scandinavia, Poland, and Argentina in January.

DreamWorks Animation’s Puss In Boots added $17m for $223m through PPI and is yet to arrive in Scandinavia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Poland, Turkey and Japan.

  • Fox International said Alvin And The Chipmunks Chipwrecked grossed a confirmed $16.5m weekend for from 5,607 screens in 53 for an early $38.5m running total.

The family sequel opened top in France on $4.6m from 591 and launched at number three in Germany on $1.4m from 630. It added $1.8m in the second weekend in the UK from 764 for $8.8m.

Action sci-fi The Darkest Hour debuted outside North America in four markets, taking $3.6m from 1,238 screens in four markets. The lead market was Russia on $3.4m from 1,151 for second place behind local hit Yolki 2.

New Regency’s sci-fi thriller In Time crossed $100m as $1.5m from 1,200 in 19 markets boosted the tally to $100.4m. The film has taken $8.5m after five weekends in France and $7.3m in Germany and $6.9m in Spain, both after four.

Cameron Crowe’s drama We Bought A Zoo began its international roll-out in four markets led by Mexico on $314,612 from 354. It grossed $998,024 overall.

  • Arthur Christmas moves ever closer towards the $100m milestone and added an estimated $9.7m through Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) from 5,925 screens in 74 markets to reach a round $90m.

The UK drove weekend business on $4.1m from 835 for $32.1m after seven weekends, followed by a $940,000 Italian debut on $319. Russia, France and Australia have generated $6.6m, $6.5m and $5.6m, respectively.

David Fincher’s English-language remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo began its international release appropriately enough in the property’s country of origin Sweden, grossing a confirmed $1.4m through Monday (Dec 26) through SPRI from 194 for number two. This was Fincher’s biggest ever launch in the market.

It opened across Scandinavia for $1.6m overall from 480 screens in five markets. The thriller opens in the UK on Monday (Dec 26).

  • Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI) reported on Dec 24 that Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows was grossed a confirmed $22m from 4,200 screens in 25 markets to reach $49m.

The adventure sequel opened top in Germany on $4.1m, third in South Korea on $3.7m and top in Taiwan on $2.1m. In the second weekend it stayed top in the UK on $2.7m for $14.1m and did the same in Italy on an excellent $3.5m for $13.1m.

New Year’s Eve has reached $45.4m and Happy Feet Two is on $61.5m.

  • Immortals, which Universal is releasing in 10 territories, added $2.4m from 485 sites in seven territories for $27.3m led by a $2.1m number one debut in Spain from 354. The UK has produced $9.9m. The overall international running total including Lionsgate territories stands at more than $100m.

Universal has German-speaking rights to German rom-com Rubbeldiekatz and UPI reported $2.2m from 600 venues in three territories for $5.9m. The film stands at $5.5m in Germany after two weekends.

Tower Heist stands at $53.1m and Johnny English Reborn $153.5m with Latin America and Japan set to open in the coming months.