The Incredibles shot to the top of the international table with astunning $44.3m gross last weekend on the back of openings in 10 territoriesincluding France, Italy and Spain, as well as a nationwide release in the UKfollowing a single-week London platform. The film took top positions in mostterritories for Buena Vista International (BVI).
Overall it was a strongweekend for animated films at the top of the chart. In Japan Hayao Miyazaki's Howl'sMoving Castle held well in its second weekend slipping just 14% and playingin third place internationally.
Meanwhile Warner Bros' ThePolar Express, which is doing great business on Imax in North America (seeseparate ScreenDaily.com story), saw openings in 11 new internationalterritories including Germany, Japan and Mexico to steam into fourth place.
DreamWorks' Shark Tale,however, was hit hard by The Incredibles, slipping 61% week-on-week. Theanimated film should still pass the $150m international mark with the nextweek.
BVI's live action title NationalTreasure, which held the North American lead over the Thanksgiving weekend,got off to a rousing start internationally with a seven territory launchnetting $7.8m.
This was led by Germany's$4.4m (Euros 3.3m) from 498,000 admissions and Australia's $1.5m (A$1.9m),where the film took pole position in both territories. On the internationaltable the Jerry Bruckheimer produced Nicolas Cage vehicle finished fifth, thehighest new entry on the chart.
Cage's action titles usuallyplay marginally better internationally than in North America. His firstcollaboration with Bruckheimer, The Rock, grossed $201m frominternational markets representing 60% of worldwide grosses.
A year later Con Air,also with Bruckheimer, took $122.9m (55% of the worldwide take). Also releasedin 1997 Face/Off may not have been with Bruckheimer but grossed $133.4minternationally, also 55% of worldwide grosses.
In 2000 Cage reteamed withBruckheimer for the third time on Gone In 60 Seconds which grossed$135.6m outside North America, 57% of worldwide grosses.
North Americanresults may have proven disappointing but Oliver Stone's Alexander gotoff to a strong international start grossing $7.5m led by Russia's $3.7m grosson 345 screens through Paradise and Taiwan's $1.1m on 110 through Fox. The filmmay not have finished on top in all territories but proved a palpable hit inScandinavia through Nordisk Film taking pole positions in Sweden, Denmark andFinland.
French policethriller 36, Quai Des Orfevres got off to a superb start for GaumontSony Pictures Films in France with a $3.75m weekend at 549 screens. The film,which stars Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil, beat Jean-Pierre Jeunet's AVery Long Engagement which had held the lead for four weeks in France butunfortunately opened against Pixar's The Incredibles so had to settlefor second place.
UIP's Bridget Jones: TheEdge Of Reason continued to match strong holdovers with new launches (thisweek led by Russia's $0.7m from 68 screens). Amongst the notables this weekwere New Zealand and the Netherlands where it held the top spot against newrelease competition from BVI's National Treasure and The Incredibles,respectively. In the Netherlands Bridget's third weekend finished over $100,000ahead of The Incredibles launch despite playing on 84 fewer screens.
For full international chart,
The international table is compiled each week by Leonard Klady forScreen International.
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