The lull between the global assaults of Spider-Man 3 and next week's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End continues this weekend, though the debut of Zodiac and the Russian opening of Shrek The Third could produce some new action in the international marketplace.


David Fincher's acclaimed Zodiac, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo, arrives in its first major markets through Warner Bros Pictures International (Paramount handled the film in North America).

The crime thriller opens in Australia, France and Sweden on Thursday (May 17), in Italy, Spain and the UK on Friday (May 18), and in Taiwan on Saturday (May 19).

The third installment of the DreamWorks Animation Shrek franchise, distributed by Paramount Pictures International (PPI), arrives in most international territories during the second half of June and July, to coincide with school holidays.

But, concurrent with what is likely to be its huge North American debut, Shrek The Third - which adds Justin Timberlake and Eric Idle to a voice cast led by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas - opens in Russia and the Ukraine on Thursday (May 17) and in the Philippines and Romania on Friday (May 18).

The Zodiac and Shrek openings are unlikely to take much away from Sony Pictures Releasing International's Spider-Man 3, whose international total had reached $409m by Wednesday.

Spidey's real competition will come next week, when Buena Vista International's third Pirates of the Caribbean film cruises into more than 100 territories, arriving in some markets as early as Wednesday.

Just a few other films get scattered openings this weekend in major international markets.

Universal/UPI launches UK comedy Magicians in its home territory on Friday (May 18). Acquired by UPI for selected territories, the film, featuring British TV duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb (Peep Show), makes its debut at 240 UK locations.

Besides Shrek, PPI launches Next in Korea, Reno 911!: Miami in Australia/New Zealand and Black Snake Moan in the UK. The distributor's Blades of Glory has now grossed $12.8m from international markets.

Warner opens The Reaping on an estimated 166 screens in Japan on Saturday (May 19). As of May 17, the horror movie had grossed $34m in the international marketplace (including takings from territories where it is distributed by Warner's co-production partner Village Roadshow).

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