Ben Stiller, Will Smith and Beyonce are all in action this weekend as the race to dominate the international arena heats up.

Fox International's Night At The Museum starring Stiller has swept all before it in the overseas arena for several weeks and must still be the one to beat.

The family film is poised to cross $200m and opens in Italy and South Africa on Feb 2. The new releases combined with solid holdover business are expected to propel the international tally well past $198m.

Meanwhile Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) opens The Pursuit Of Happyness in France on Jan 31, followed by Argentina on Feb 1 and Spain, Mexico and Brazil on Feb 2.

The rags-to-riches drama currently stands at $48.1m and is expected to perform solidly based on Smith's cast-iron international appeal and his recent lead actor Oscar nomination.

Beyonce and her Dreamgirls co-stars Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy step out in five territories through Paramount/PPI this weekend.

The musical launches in Germany on Feb 1 and the UK on Feb 2 and should prosper in these film-savvy markets. The latest tally is $3.6m.

Fox International's Rocky Balboa steps into the ring in New Zealand on Feb 1, followed by India and South Africa a day later. The drama is performing well and has amassed $44m so far.

The comedy spoof Epic Movie has taken $3.5m mostly from Australia so far and launches in three small territories this weekend.

The Last King Of Scotland starring Oscar nominee Forest Whitaker opens in more than 10 territories, and executives will look to boost the $6.8m international running total.

The Uganda-set drama opens in Australia and Singapore on Feb 1, Brazil on Feb 2, and Taiwan on Feb 3. The cumulative total stands at $6.8m.

SPRI's Casino Royale has amassed close to $408m following its impressive Chinese launch earlier this week. The film, the first in the James Bond franchise to open in the territory, took an estimated $1.5m from 470 venues including Monday previews.

The Adam Sandler comedy Click, currently on $94.8m, goes out in South Korea on Feb 1. Drama Running With Scissors opens in the UK on Feb 2, as does the drama Gridiron Gang, which has amassed $2.4m.

Lighthearted drama Stranger Than Fiction launches in Italy on Feb 2.

Latest tallies put the biopic Marie Antoinette on $31.5m and animated feature Monster House on $65.2m.

Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI) opens Blood Diamond in Russia on Feb 1 and the action drama has grossed $27.1m to date.

Second world war drama Flags Of Our Fathers, currently on $28.3m, goes out in Brazil on Feb 2. Latest figures put crime thriller The Departed on $139m including non-WBPI territories; animated title Happy Feet on $162.9m including Roadshow territories; mystery The Prestige on $48.4m; and Letters From Iwo Jima, the Japanese-language companion piece to Flags Of Our Fathers, on $38.9m.

Universal/UPI opens Smokin' Aces in three territories this weekend. The crime caper has taken $7m to date and opens in the Netherlands on Feb 1 on 40 prints and Spain a day later on 177. Latest figures put romantic comedy The Holiday on $115m.

Buena Vista International (BVI) opens Wild Bunch 4 in Germany on Feb 1. The first three instalments in the German family franchise have grossed more than $40m for the distributor and Wild Bunch 4 will be a tough one to beat in its home market this weekend.

Meanwhile BVI's thriller Deja Vu became the first Denzel Washington release to cross $100m overseas and stands at $100.2m. It is the 53rd BVI title to reach the milestone.

Paramount/PPI's family film Charlotte's Web launches in Switzerland on Feb 1 and has grossed $23.9m.

Fox International's psychodrama Notes On A Scandal opens in the UK on Feb 2, hoping to capitalise on its recent haul of Oscar nominations.

Topics