Twilight rules int'l on $199.6m as Sony crosses $4bn global

The debut combined with the $141.3m number one North American launch for a $340.9m global tally that should see the film cross $500m worldwide comfortably by the end of its second weekend. The international haul includes approximately $3m from 82 IMAX sites.

The franchise finale opened in the UK on $24.4m, CIS on $20.3m, Brazil on $19m and in France on $16.4m and two million admissions for the best opening weekend of the year-to-date and the second best opening in the franchise behind New Moon.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 took $12.7m in Australia, $12.4m in Italy and generated $11.8m in Spain for the biggest three-day weekend in history. Mexico produced $11.8m and Lionsgate International reported that the region of Latin America delivered $43m.

South Korea opened on $7.1m, the Philippines a superb $4.4m and Sweden $3.9m as Scandinavia as a whole delivered $9.8m. The film produced the seventh best four-day debut in Denmark, the second biggest Finnish launch of 2012 so far, the fourth biggest in Norway and the franchise best and third biggest debut of the year-to-date in the Netherlands.

Skyfall crossed $500m internationally at the weekend as the Sony, MGM and Eon thriller added a further $49.6m from a combined 9,950 screens in 83 Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) and MGM markets to reach $507.9m. The film powered Sony Pictures to a $4bn global haul - its first in history - and ensured the 23rd James Bond film has become the biggest in the franchise on $669.2m worldwide.

Germany led the way with $10.3m from 1,330 in the third weekend to stay top and reach $57.4m and the next best performance of the weekend came in the lead market of the UK, where a further $8.9m from 1,418 propelled the tally to $133.4m after four.

France produced $3.9m from 784 for $47.9m after four, Holland $2.5m from 118 for $12.7m after three, Switzerland $2.5m from 191 for $14.2m after three and Italy $1.6m from 490 for $14.6m after three. Russia has generated $23.9m after four.

SPRI markets produced $43.9m for $435.8m and the balance comes from MGM markets.

Hotel Transylvania added $7.8m through SPRI from 4,435 in 57 for $140.3m. Italy led the way on $2.3m from 511 for $6.1m after two weekends. Here Comes The Boom stands at an early $8.1m.

EuropaCorp/Fox International’s Taken 2 grossed an estimated $1.9m from 2,049 screens in 43 markets as the running total climbed to $219.5m. The thriller has grossed $60.5m through EuropaCorp territories.

Cloud Atlas entered its second weekend in Russia and added a further $1.7m through A Company Russia from 1,300 screens to reach $12.1m. Fox International handled the booking. Ice Age 4 stands at $716.9m.

Warner Bros Pictures International reported that Argo added $8.6m from 3,451 screens in 38 markets to reach $40.4m. Ben Affleck’s hostage drama opened in Singapore on $495,000 from 25 screens including previews and arrived in Hong Kong on $130,000 from 26.

France led the second weekend holdovers on $1.6m from 346 for $4.6m, followed by the UK on $1.3m from 345 for $4.5m. Argo stands at $2.2m in Italy, $1.5m in Russia, $1.1m in Mexico, $1m in Brazil and $873,000 in Germany – all after two weekends – and $8.7m in Australia, $3.4m in Spain and $3.2m in Japan, all after four.

The Impossible fell to second place in Spain for the first time in six weekends as $1.6m raised the tally to a remarkable $48.5m.

Paramount Pictures International launched DreamWorks Animation’s Rise Of The Guardians in China on $3.1m from 7,500 venues. Madagascar 3 stands at $521.2m and has generated $37.9m in Germany after seven weekends and $32.9m in the UK after five.

The Denzel Washington drama Flight, directed by Robert Zemeckis, opened in Russia on $1m from 400 sites. The early international running total stands at $2.1m and the bulk of major markets are set to open in January and February.

Paranormal Activity 4 added $2.3m in the fifth weekend from 3,316 cinemas in 48 countries for $82m. France has produced $7.3m after three and Japan $2.8m after two. Cirque du Soleil – Worlds Away has taken $3.7m from two weekends in Japan.

Universal Pictures International reported that Ted reached $500.7m at the worldwide box office and has reached $282m internationally. The Bourne Legacy added $2.1m from 5,000 sites in nine territories to reach $161.3m including more than $10.5m in Japan. ParaNorman stands at $42.6m.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported that Wreck-It Ralph added $4.8m for an early $35.7m running total.