Sam Mendes' Road To Perdition debuted in several European territories this week, following its Venice festival screening, giving solid - though hardly overwhelming results.

The 20th Century Fox internationally distributed drama, which is based on the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins, took the top spot in Germany over the four-day weekend Sept 5-8. However, while its $1.49m (Euros 1.52m) from 519 screens provided a chart best, it still only delivered a so-so screen average of $2,877.

The film performed better, albeit reaching second position, in Spain and Switzerland. Spain saw Road To Perdition claim $1.5m (Euro1.54m), almost identical to the German take, but on a screen count of 280 it scored a far superior average of $5,403 - the best for any film in the top 20 and far ahead of first-placed Men In Black II ($3,536 average at 533 screens). The Spanish performance was also more impressive for being from a three-day weekend (Sept 6-8).

In Switzerland it took second place to UIP's About A Boy but still showed strong results of $224,916 (SFR 332,876) from 46 screens for $4,889 average. It played best in the French-speaking region of the country where it's $104,434 four-day gross from 18 screens gave the film a mighty $5,802 per screen average. The German-speaking region provided $120,482 from 28 screens for a $4,303 average.

Debuts outside of Europe were recorded in Singapore ($109,000 from 25 screens) and Thailand ($113,000 from 50), while Mexico has seen Road To Perdition take $2.4m (Pesos23.96m) in its first 10 days on release.

The film, which boasts a stellar cast including Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law, opened in France and Belgium on Sept 11. It sold 42,052 tickets (equivalent to $218,670) in France on its first day, opening on 418 screens.

It launches next on Sept 20 in Denmark and on a platform release in London's West End on the same day before widening around the UK on Sept 27. Oct 4 sees it reach Sweden and Norway.

Road To Perdition has grossed $101.1m in the US so far, passing the hallowed $100m mark last weekend. Mendes' debut film, the 1999 best picture Academy Award-winner American Beauty, grossed over $200m internationally and nearly $350m worldwide.

Hanks should help Perdition to perform as his popularity internationally is as strong as it is in the US. His last five international releases, Cast Away ($193m), The Green Mile ($148m), Toy Story 2 ($240m) You've Got M@il ($135m) and Saving Private Ryan ($269m), have all grossed well over $100m from international markets, as have hits like Apollo 13 ($165m), Philadelphia ($124m), Sleepless In Seattle ($101m) and 1994 best picture-winner Forrest Gump ($350m).