Shrek, Prince challenge Robin in international markets

Losing strength after its powerful debut last weekend, Robin Hood grossed $30m from 7,157 dates in 58 territories (the only new opening was in Vietnam), distributor Universal/UPI estimated. The second-weekend tally pushed the action adventure’s international total to $125m.

In the UK, Robin grossed an estimated $2.1m from 538 dates (for a 10-day total of $13.3m), ceding top spot on the local chart to British opener Streetdance.

In Germany, Robin took $1.4m from 667 dates (for an 11-day total of $8.7m), coming in second to Prince of Persia.

Robin stayed top in France, with $2.6m from 648 (12-day total $10.7m), and Australia, with $3.1m from 496 dates (total $9.7m).

In Korea it was off only 12%, grossing $3.2m from 256 (11-day total $7.8m).

It retained top spot in Mexico with $1.9m from 496 (10-day total $6.2m) and held on at number two in Brazil with $1.6m from 268, off just 34%.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time began its international rollout a week ahead of its US opening and grossed an estimated $18m from 4,125 screens, ranking number one in 18 out of 19 territories. Distributor Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI) said the opening was 5% ahead of National Treasure’s for the same group of markets but 13% behind Iron Man’s.

The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced fantasy adventure with Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton starring ruled in Spain with an estimated $3m from 560 theatres, in Germany with $2.8m from 650, and in Italy with $2.8m from 525.

In the UK, Prince took an estimated $2.1m from 585 theatres, putting it in a close race with Robin Hood for second place on the local box office chart.

Prince expands to another 30 markets next weekend day and date with its domestic launch.

Shrek Forever After opened in a handful of international markets simultaneous with its relatively soft domestic launch and grossed an impressive $26m from 1,236 locations, said distributor Paramount/PPI.

The fourth installment - and first in 3D - of DreamWorks Animation’s powerful animated franchise took an outstanding $20m from 700 locations in Russia. That, said PPI, made it the territory’s biggest opener of all time, 1% ahead of Avatar, 18% ahead of Ice Age 3 and 65% ahead of Shrek The Third.

In Ukraine, Forever After grossed a chart-topping $1.3m from 92 locations (22% more than Shrek the Third and 8% more than Ice Age 3).

Forever also topped the charts in the Philippines, with $1.25m from 98 locations, Singapore, with $1.1m from 26, and Malaysia, with $682,000 from 75.

Most of the film’s other international openings are set for late June and early July.

Iron Man 2, now in its fourth weekend of widespread release, grossed $13.3m from 9,208 locations across 61 territories - including $12.8m in territories where Paramount is distributing - for an international total to date of $268.0m ($260.1m of it from Paramount territories).

The action sequel grossed $1.9m from 3,000 locations in China (for a total in the market of $20.6m), $1.7m from 294 locations in Korea (total $27.7m), and $1.3m from 258 locations in Australia (total $20.6m).

How to Train Your Dragon, PPI’s other DreamWorks Animation title, grossed an estimated $10.5m from 4,766 locations across 62 territories, for an international total to date of $235m.

The 3D animation was number one in Korea with a gross of $7m from 553 locations.

PPI also reported a second place opening in Australia for Kings of Mykonos: Wogboy 2, which took $1.5m from 179 locations.

Alice In Wonderland, WDSMPI’s live action 3D blockbuster, took another $7.9m this weekend, bringing its international total to $664.4m and making it, according to Disney, the fifth biggest international performer in industry history.

In Japan, Alice declined only 23% to take $3.7m, for a total of $107.9m, Disney’s second highest total in the market ever. And in Brazil it was down just 11% to $2.3m, for a territory total of $25.6m.

A Nightmare On Elm Street, from Warner Bros Pictures International, grossed an estimated $7.3m (representing around 1.2m admissions) from over 2,600 screens in 35 markets, for an international total to date of $27.5m.

The horror re-boot opened in Australia with $970,000 (93,000 admissions) from 134 screens; in Germany with $790,000 (84,000 admissions) from 193; and in Korea $550,000 (82,000 admissions) from 135.

Clash of the Titans, Warner’s live action 3D offering, grossed an estimated $6.6m (representing 925,000 admissions) from around 5,200 screens in 53 markets, bringing its international total to $312.8m.

The action fantasy opened in Brazil with $4.2m (590,000 admissions) from 446 screens, easily displacing Robin Hood from the number one spot and becoming Warner’s third biggest opener in the territory ever. Fifty-nine percent of the gross came from 3D screens (which accounted for 29% of the screen total).

Elsewhere, Clash reached market totals of $30.4m in the UK, $25m in China, $24.8m in Russia, and $21.4m in Mexico.

The Back-Up Plan, from Sony Pictures Releasing International, took an estimated $5.2m ($4.7m of it from Sony markets) from 1,921 screens in 36 markets, for an international total to date of $21.5m ($19.2m from Sony markets).

The romantic action comedy opened second in France with $1.5m from 291 screens and fourth in Australia with $1.1m from 201.

Fox International’s romcom Date Night took another $2.1m from 1,750 screens in 34 markets, pushing its international total past the half-century to $51.3m.

Fox’s Avatar added $557,000 from 350 screens in 17 markets, to bring its international total to $1.98bn, and the studio’s Hot Tub Time Machine took $546,000 from 290 UK locations, for a market total of $4.3m and an international total (for Fox territories) of $8.3m.

UPI’s Green Zone grossed an estimated $1.3m from 500 dates in 24 territories, raising its international total to $57.5m, and the distributor’s Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang took $330,000 from 1,500 dates in 25 territories, for a total of $53.4m.

Heartbreaker (L’arnacoeur), Universal’s co-production with Quad, grossed $221,000 from 200 dates, for a total of $26.5m. And Kick-Ass added $90,000 from 182 dates for a total of $25.9m.

Summit International reported that Letters to Juliet brought in an estimated $1.2m from 547 screens in 5 territories, bringing its international total to $3.1m.