In a box-office world held under the spell of a boy wizard, Disney's latest animated effort has still found audiences across Europe despite mixed reviews and a lack of traditional sing-along songs.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire received a strong opening last week in France, a week ahead of children's epic Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone. Launching on Nov 28 Atlantis sold 1,148,272 tickets in its first seven days, equivalent to approximately $6.9m, and took pole position in the French chart. Playing on 800 screens this provides a screen average of 1,435 admissions ($8,612).
The film played particularly well in Paris where audiences snapped up 213,348 tickets from the 43 screens available for a massive average of 4,962 admissions per screen ($29,769).
Featuring the voices of Michael J Fox, James Garner and the late Jim Varney, Atlantis also hit screens in Switzerland where it claimed a three-day gross of $164,894 (SFR 271,580) from just 25 screens - an equally impressive average of $6,596. However the film had to settle for second place in the chart behind Harry Potter.
The film, which has so far taken an international gross of $46m, continues to play well in several other European territories. Opening in Hungary last Friday it managed $52,716 from 22 screens over the three-day weekend. In the UK it has amassed $8.5m after eight weeks on release. This week saw it drop off just 20% in Poland from its opening weekend - it has grossed $224,161 after 10 days. Spanish audiences have sent $1.9m its way in its first 10-days on release; Sweden $1.2m in four weeks; Denmark $707,607 in four weeks; and $219,736 in The Netherlands in three.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire opens in Germany and Japan this week. Italy receives the animated film limited on Dec 14 and then wide from Dec 21.
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