Inception faces off against Salt, Toy Story 3 overseas

Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller is going to have to work to hold on to its title as it faces a strong challenge on paper at least from Sony’s Angelina Jolie action thriller Salt.

WBPI’s Cats And Dogs 2 has grossed $27m and has a challenging weekend ahead with launches in the tough markets of Spain and Japan, as well as Argentina.

Toy Story 3 has amassed a sensational $562.6m through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International and ranks comfortably as the second biggest animation overseas behind Ice Age 3. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice opened in Italy yesterday and stands at $80.3m.

Salt should cross $100m this weekend and gets a big push through Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) with launches in the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Spain and stands at $86.4m.

SPRI’s The Karate Kid on $111.5m arrives in France and Russia, while Grown Ups has reached $52.4m and opens in Sweden.

Paramount’s The Last Airbender has grossed $74.1m and continues its international rollout this weekend in Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Brazil and South Korea. Shrek Forever After has amassed $448.1m and opens in China.

Marmaduke enters the UK and France through Fox International and has taken $32.4m. The A-Team has a tricky assignment in Japan and stands at $84.1m. Predators has taken $62.1m and debuts in Mexico, while MatchingJack opens in Australia. The horror spoof Vampires Suck opens in around nine smaller markets.

Universal/UPI’s Despicable Me on $58.7m has more than 30 territories are scheduled to open over the next few months. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World opens in Russia.

Get Him To The Greek has taken $22.6m and opens in Belgium. Step Up 3D has grossed $33.4m through Universal/UPI and Summit International and opens through Universal in France and Switzerland.

Summit International’s distributors open Letters To Juliet in German-speaking Europe and the romance stands at $15.6m.