Night At The Museum 2 sets Chinese record for Fox

In its second weekend on release, 20th Century Fox International’s Night 2 earned an estimated $37.2m from 9,000 screens in 100 markets, pushing its international total past the century mark to $106m.

The family adventure sequel opened powerfully in China, taking $7.4m from 818 screens to become Fox’s biggest ever opener in the market and the biggest opener of 2009 among imported films.

Night 2 stayed strong in many holdover markets. In the UK it stayed at number one and was down only 34% to $3.5m from 515 screens, for a total so far in the territory of $18.7m. In Germany it was down just 35% to $2.8m from 805 screens, for a local total of $8.2m. And in Australia it slipped only 31% to $2.6m from 394 screens, for a total of nearly $7m.

Russia produced a gross of $2.5m from 883 screens (total - $9.3m). In Brazil Night 2 was off a mere 21% to $2.1m from 504 screens (total - $5.4m) and in Spain it slipped 36% to $1.8m from 500 screens (total - $4.9m). France added $1.7m from 702 screens (total - $7.3m) and Italy $1.6m from 567 (total - $4.1m).

• Last weekend’s top international performer, Angels & Demons, took an estimated $32.9m this weekend, from 10,145 screens in 101 markets. The thriller’s international total climbed to $251.7m.

In its third weekend on international release, the Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) thriller held up well in Japan, slipping 18% to take $3.2m, for a territory total so far of $22.1m, and in Brazil, dropping 27% to $1.7m, for a $9.9m total.

Germany produced $4.8m (down 39%), for a $30.1m total, and Mexico $2.2m (down 47%), for a $8.3m total. Italy delivered $2.1m (down 37%), Spain $2m (down 50%), Australia $1.6m (down 39%), France $1.6m (down 57%), the UK $1.6m (down 58%) and Korea $860,000 (down 53%).

• Disney Pixar’s Up, which opened top in North America this weekend, was released in Russia ahead of its main international rollout through the summer and early autumn. The animated family adventure took an estimated $4.2m from 560 screens, topping the Russian box office chart.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI) said the opening was the best ever for a Disney Pixar film in Russia, beating the debut last year of Wall-E.

• Mandate International’s Drag Me To Hell, which also made its domestic debut this weekend, started its international rollout in the UK (where it is being handled by Mandate parent Lionsgate), France (where it is being distributed by Metropolitan) and Israel.

The Sam Raimi-directed horror film grossed an estimated $4.4m from 700 screens in the three markets. In the UK it took $3.2m from 400 screens, coming in second to Night at the Museum 2, according to Mandate. In France the gross was $1.1m from 280 screens

• Terminator Salvation expanded from its single-territory opening last weekend in Korea into seven more Asian markets. SPRI, which is handling the film in the new markets and many other territories, reported an estimated total of $8.6 from 673 screens in the seven Asian countries and an estimated overall international take of $13m (bringing the film’s international total to $23.1m).

Coming top in all its new markets the action sequel took $1.8m from 150 screens in Taiwan (with Taipei results being 39% bigger than those for Terminator 3, said SPRI); $1.5m from 106 screens in Thailand (the biggest opening of 2009, according to SPRI); $1.4m from 119 screens in Malaysia (55% bigger than Terminator 3); and $1.2m from 64 screens in Hong Kong.

• Fox International’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine took an estimated $8.1m from 5,000 screens in 104 markets over the weekend, bringing its international total to date (with an opening in Japan still to come) of $170.1m.

The comic book-based action outing opened top in Mexico with $4.4m from 1,336 screens, beating Angels & Demons as the territory’s biggest opener of the year so far, said Fox.

• Paramount Pictures International (PPI) said Star Trek crossed the international century mark this weekend with an estimated gross of $8m from 4,869 locations across 59 territories, for a total so far of $101.5m.

The franchise reboot opened in Japan with a gross of $2.2m from 275 locations. Among holdover markets it dropped 44% in the UK to gross $1.4m from 464 locations, for a total so far in the market of $28m.

• PPI’s 3D animation Monsters vs Aliens grossed an estimated $3.1m from 1,836 locations across 63 territories, bringing its international total to $166.5m.
  
  
• State of Play, from Universal Pictures International (UPI), grossed an estimated $2.6m from 1,150 dates in 27 territories, for a total of $22.4m. The thriller opened in 14 territories including Australia, where it grossed $1.5m from 222 dates and ranked third.
  
  
• UPI also reported estimated weekend grosses of $930,000 from 1,100 dates in 18 territories for Coraline (total - $23.9m); $630,000 from 800 dates in 28 territories for Duplicity (total - $34.5m); $500,000 from 1,200 dates in 35 territories for Fast & Furious (total - $193.5m); $300,000 from 360 dates in 5 territories for Fighting (total - $4.2m); and $400,000 from 600 dates in 12 territories for The Last House on the Left (total - $3m).
  
  
• WDSMPI reported weekend takes of $2.4m from 2,221 screens in 23 markets for Hannah Montana The Movie (total $35.2m) and $1.2m from 424 theatres in 15 territories for Confessions of a Shopaholic (total - $60.5m).
  
  
• The studio said Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience broke the Brazilian record for a 3D opening by taking $297,000 from 49 screens equipped for the format. Overall, the performance documentary took $600,000 from 235 theatres in five territories, for an international total to date (all from 3D complexes) of $3.1m.
  
  
• Fox International reported that 12 Rounds took an estimated $542,071from 380 screens in three territories, bringing its international total to $4.2m. The film opened with $402,166 from 300 screens in the UK.
  
  
• Fox’s Marley & Me nosed passed the international century mark, coming out of the weekend with a $100.1m total.