Fox International hit the ground running in 2011 on the back of last year’s $2.9bn annual haul — the highest of all the distributors who have declared results thus far — as Gulliver’s Travels led the first weekend of the new year, albeit by a tiny margin.

The adventure added an estimated $24.9m from 3,964 screens in 33 markets to raise the early running total to $48.9m according to confirmed results issued on Monday [Jan 3], just pipping Tron: Legacy on $23.7m to the post.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 crossed $600m, setting up the distributor for what promises to be a momentous year heading into the release of the franchise’s final instalment this summer.

To recap the year-end tallies reported by the distributors (see separate story), Fox International closed out 2010 on $2.9m, while Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported a company record $2.3bn, Paramount Pictures International registered $1.98bn, Sony Pictures Releasing International amassed $1.38bn and Universal Pictures International amassed $1.2bn. Warner Bros Pictures International is projected to come in at approximately $2.9bn and will report year-end results on Monday [Jan 3].

  • Returning to Gulliver’s Travels, the film opened top in the UK on $10.9m from 503 sites since Boxing Day including previews and took the gold medal in Taiwan on $976,494 from 146.

It launched in India on $998,797 from 337 and added $2.8m from 404 in Australia for $7.1m in second place, $1.8m from 257 in Spain for $6.7m in second place and $1.6m from 1,194 in Mexico for $6.3m in third place.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader crossed $200m internationally, a result that offers timely consolation for the film’s poor North American run. A further $21.5m from 7,786 screens in 68 markets results in a $211.4m running total by the close of January 2.

A number one launch in Argentina on $1.1m from 204 established Fox’s biggest launch of 2010, while the UK led the holdovers on $1.9m from 501 for $17.7m after four weekends. Dawn Treader has amassed $1m in Russia, $14.4m in Mexico, $11.5m in Brazil and $9.3m in South Korea – all after four weekends – while Spain has generated $13.1m after five. The film held on to number one in its second weekend in Sweden where it has produced $3.5m.

Love & Other Drugs launched in eight new markets and took $6.9m from 1,156 in a total of 11 markets as the tally climbed to $13.3m. The UK produced a $2.5m debut from 412 and France delivered a $1.9m opening from 280. Australia has returned $5.7m after three weekends and Taiwan $2m after two. Unstoppable stands at $58m.

  • Tron: Legacy crossed $100m thanks to a $23.7m weekend haul from 5,929 screens in 40 territories that boosted the tally to $110m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

The sci-fi adventure pulled off a $3.2m launch in South Korea from 250 and ranked fourth by the close of the weekend, below Last Godfather, Hello Ghost and Fox International Productions/Showbox’s Yellow Sea.

The sci-fi adventure added $3m in Russia from 646 for $9.8m and stayed top ahead of Andrei Konchalavsky’s Nutcracker 3D. The third weekend in Japan generated $2.2m from 532 as the film capitalised on the Shogatsu holiday to boost the tally to $16.4m and rank as the second biggest Hollywood release behind Harry Potter.

Tron: Legacy stayed top in its second weekend in Mexico thanks to $2.1m from 790. The running total stands at $7.8m.

Driven on by strong holds across German-speaking Europe and France, Tangled added $14.8m from 3,802 screens in 23 territories in its sixth weekend overseas and has reached $146.5m.

The $314.5m global total means the animated hit became the 20th Disney film to cross $300m worldwide and has already taken more than the entire run of Bolt ($310m), Mulan ($304.3m) and Chicken Little ($314.4m).

  • PPI reported that the North American champion Little Fockers grossed $22.5m from 4,683 locations for $72m after two weekends. The comedy opened in Mexico on $1.9m from 481 including previews.

Elsewhere, the biggest contribution came from a strong number one performance in Australia that delivered $3.7m from 262 for $10.5m. The UK generated $3.1m from 485 for $16.7m, France $2.5m from 503 for $6.4m, Germany $2m from 650 for $6m, Russia $2m from 580 for $7.2m and Spain $1.3m from 378 for $6.5m.

Megamind grossed $11m from 4,938 venues in 56 territories for $134.5m and did the most damage in France, where $2m from 725 locations boosted the tally to $8.6m after three weekends. Mexico produced $1.4m from 479 for $9.5m after three.

The King’s Speech maintained a fantastic run through PPI Australia, adding $2.4m from only 95 sites for $5.4m after two weekends. Shrek Forever Afterhas taken $6.4m in Japan after three weekends and stands at $506m internationally.

  • Sony Pictures Releasing International reportd that the romatic mystery The Tourist added $18.6m from 1,435 screens for $65m. It opened top in Spain on $4.8m from 436 and added $2.4m in Australia from 271 for $5.7m after two. A further $2.3m in Italy from 271 boosted the tally there to a fine $10.8m after three, while Germany generated $1.7m from 650 in the third weekend for $7.3m. The UK has produced $7.6m after four and France $5.9m after three. Burlesque added $1.9m from 1,072 in 12 markets for $11.4m and stands at $4.7m in Japan and $2.4m in the UK, both after three.
  • Warner Bros Pictures International confirmed on Monday [Jan 3] that Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 added $14.3m from 5,375 screens in 63 territories for $617.8m. The UK has generated $77.9m and is the lead market, while Japan follows on $70.3m, Germany $55.9m, France $47.4m, Australia $39.1m, China $30.9m, Russia $25.7m and Italy $24.8m. Mexico has produced $22.3m, Brazil $22.2m, Spain $18.1m and South Korea $13.8m.

Due Date crossed $100m after adding $1.1m in 860 in 44 for $100.9m and Yogi Bear grossed $1.6m from 1,230 in seven and has reached $3.6m, including $1.7m in Germany after two weekends.

  • Universal’s Italian co-production with Cattleya, Un Altro Mondo, moved into its second weekend in Italy and grossed $1.2m through UPI from 300 sites for $2.6m.

Robin Hood has taken $7.1m in Japan after four weekends and $215.6m overall, while Despicable Me stands at $290.3m. Devil stands at $23.4m and Julia’s Eyes has grossed $9.8m.

Brucmoved into its second weekend in Spain and added $350,000 from 285 for $1.2m. Somewhere has taken $608,000 in the UK after four weekends and $950,000 overall in several Universal territories.