Buena Vista International(BVI) remained the dominant distributor overseas this weekend as the number onepicture Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Cars togethergrossed an estimated $70m.

Once again Dead Man's Chest was asizeable presence on the international stage as it added $62m to raise thetally to $217m.

It became the 20th BVI release to cross $200m, the Walt Disney Company's 10thpicture to cross $500m globally and the studio's fifth live-action title to doso. Combined with the $321.7m domestic score the worldwide gross now stands at$539m after three weeks.

The adventure sequel grossed $32.4m from 11 new markets and ranked number onein all the major territories where it is active. The highlight was a superb$17.3m two-day haul in Japan that registered the third biggest opening inindustry history.

There were impressive debuts too in Mexico on $5.8m, Brazil on $3.1m, Poland on$1.5m, Argentina on $1.3m for a top three industry opening there, and Chile on$1.1m.

Portugal generated $925,000 while India produced $625,000 from Hindu-speakingareas. BVI opens Dead Man's Chestin the sub-continent's Urdu and Tamil-speaking areas next weekend, a sub-marketnumbering a modest 400million people.

Strong holds played their part in the weekend's success story, as the pictureadded $6.9m for $62m after three weekends in the UK. It added $5m for $20mafter two in the booming Russian market, and $2.9m for $22.2m in South Koreaand $2.7m for $21m in Australia, both after three.

Cars reached the century mark asan $8m weekend gross hit $100m on the nose. The Pixar title became the eighthrelease this year to reach the milestone, powered by a $1.2m number two debutin South Korea.

Cars has plenty more to offer andBVI executives anticipate a huge UK debut next weekend, with Germany and Italystill to come.

With no major openings this weekend, Superman Returns crossed $100m following a $16.3m haul for WarnerBros Pictures International (WBPI) from more than 5,900 prints in 40markets. The international tally stands at $110m.

The superhero epic opened on $334,000 from 149 in Turkey, and took $149,000from 28 in Israel, which is impressive considering the state of high alert inthe Middle Eastern country.

In second weekend holds, the picture added $4.1m from 970 for $16.4m in the UK,$2.2m from 835 for $7.1m in France, and $1.9m from 758 for $10.4m in Mexico.

In further second weekend holds, The Man of Steel took $1.5m from 560 for $7.9min Spain, $1.3m from 468 for $5.4m in Brazil, and $660,000 from 63 for $2.6m inHong Kong.

WBPI's Poseidon added $1.2m from47 markets and currently stands at $109.8m.

Paramount's animated feature Over The Hedge crossed $100m as an estimated $9.6m gross from 4,080sites in 48 territories raised the tally to $107.4m. The amount includes SouthKorea, where the picture is not handled by UIP.

Latest figures put the UK on $18m, Germany on $11.5m, Mexico on $9.5m, andFrance on $6m.

Universal's The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift added $9m from 2,260 sites in 35 territories throughUIP to raise the international tally to $55m. Combined with the $61m domesticscore the action picture has amassed more than $116m.

The picture opened in third place in France on $2m from 449 sites, and openednumber one in Spain on $1.6m from 210. South Korea produced $750,000 from 150,while the UAE produced a superb $186,000 opening day from 23 sites forUniversal and UIP records and the third biggest opening day in industryhistory.

Universal's United 93 added $1.1mfrom 550 in 12 territories for $13.2m.

Paramount's Mission: Impossible IIIopened through UIP in its final market of China and took a strong $2.8m from394. The action picture added $2.4m in Japan for a local $28.6m running total,and the international tally stands at $238.5m.

Nacho Libre opened in its firsttwo markets this weekend, grossing $205,000 from 25 sites in Singapore and$83,000 from 38 in the Philippines, where a typhoon hit local box office.

Sony Pictures Releasing International's (SPRI) The Da Vinci Code became the 10th biggest international release of alltime as it added $1.9m on 1,800 screens in 50 markets for $525.1m. Finding Nemoon $525m now ranks 11th in the pantheon.

The Wayans Brothers comedy Little Man added $810,000 from 218 screens in four markets for a $2.5minternational tally. Australia remains the top market on $2.2m.

Universal's comedy The Break-Upadded $5.3m from 1,314 sites in 20 territories for $31m, powered by a thirdplace $2.4m UK debut from 374 locations.

Fox International's Garfield: A Tale Of Two Kitties added $3.4m from 1,257 screens in nine markets for$11.4m. The picture opened in seven markets including the UK, where it grossed$1.4m.

My Super Ex-Girlfriend launchedin its first overseas market of Australia on $1m from 210 screens. Thriller TheSentinel opened in Spain on $1.4mand has amassed $6.4m from all its markets to date.