Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore ruled the overseas arena as Music And Lyrics grossed an estimated $10.1m in what turned out to be a sensational weekend for Warner Bros.

Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI) also reported record-breaking initial results for the Spartan battle epic 300 - which dominated the North American charts on an astonishing $70m - and scored the second biggest release of all time in Italy with local comedy Ho Voglia Di Te.

Fired up by strong weekend business on more than 2,600 prints in 28 markets, Music And Lyrics currently stands at $44.5m to date including non-WBPI markets.

The key driver was Germany, where the leading couple's on-screen appeal coaxed $3.2m out of German filmgoers from 613 prints for a solid number one result.

Mexico generated $678,000 from 371 screens for second place, while Holland and Austria produced respective number one debuts of $666,000 including previews from 95 prints and $511,000 from 92 prints.

Music And Lyrics added $1.2m from 127 prints in South Korea for $3.9m after two weekends, and took $385,000 from 144 screens in Brazil for $1m after the same amount of time.

300 looks set for a promising international career given its excellent $6.2m overseas haul with 1.1 million admissions from 337 prints in five markets.

Zack Snyder's adaptation of Frank Miller's acclaimed graphic novel took an extraordinary $2.9m including previews from 112 prints in Greece, where it ranked as the second biggest launch ever behind Pirates Of The Caribbean 2. In Greece, as in each of the other four overseas markets, 300 claimed more than 50% market share of the top five films.

Taiwan generated $1.5m including previews from 91 prints, while the Philippines took $753,000 from 49 prints for the second biggest launch for an R-13 film behind The Matrix Reloaded. Singapore produced the biggest opening for an M18 film on $646,000 from 29, and Malaysia generated $430,000 from 56 prints.

Ho Voglia Di Te, produced by Cattleya and distributed through Warner Bros Italy, was the fourth biggest international film of the weekend as it opened in Italy score on a superb $9.1m that was the second biggest launch ever for an Italian film.

Blood Diamond is on the cusp of $100m after grossing $2.6m from more than 2,000 prints in 54 markets for $99m. The UK is the leading market on $14.3m after seven weekends, while France stands at $9.8m after six, and Spain has taken $7.7m after five. Letters From Iwo Jima added $1m from 782 prints in 50 markets for $52.3m.

Paramount/PPI's Norbit slipped past Sony's Ghost Rider at the weekend to win a closely fought battle for second place in the international charts as an estimated $9.6m haul from 2,072 sites in 22 territories raised the film's gross to date to $19.6m.

The Eddie Murphy comedy opened in 14 territories led by a number one UK launch of $3.8m from 367 screens. The comedy opened in Germany on $2.4m from 540 sites, and took $676,000 from 138 screens in Brazil.

In other debuts, Norbit took $241,000 from 65 locations in Austria, $88,000 from 30 screens in Argentina, and $36,000 from 22 sites in Chile.

The musical Dreamgirls grossed $3.7m from 1,566 venues in 55 territories for $44.1m, with Japan adding $1m from 387 screens for $11.6m. Family title Charlotte's Web raised its total by $1.3m from 1,455 sites in 50 territories to $57.6m.

SPRI's Marvel comic book adaptation Ghost Rider generated two number one releases this weekend, taking $375,000 from 37 screens in Hong Kong, and $225,000 from 41 in Portugal.

The film, which dominated the overseas arena for the previous three weekends, grossed $9.4m from 3,670 screens in 52 markets for $76.9m. It fell 52% in its second weekend in the UK on $1.7m from 342 screens to rank third on $6.5m, but stayed number one in its second weekend in Brazil on $1.2m from 281 screens for $3.9m.

Latest figures put Japan on $3m after two, Germany in third place on $5.2m after three, Mexico in fifth on $6.3m after four, Spain in sixth on $6.9m after four, and Australia in sixth on $4.9m after four.

SPRI's rags-to-riches drama The Pursuit Of Happyness raised its international cumulative total by $3.6m from 2,210 screens in 59 markets to $131.4m.

South Korea ranks third on $3.2m after two weekends, Mexico ranks sixth on $7m after six, Brazil ranks fourth on $5.7m after six, and Spain ranks 10th on $8.2m after the same amount of time.

Columbia Pictures Producciones Mexico's comedy Ninas Mal (Charm School) opened number one in Mexico on $1.6m from 350 screens. This was the fourth biggest opening for a local production.

Buena Vista International (BVI) launched last weekend's number one domestic title Wild Hogs in its first two overseas territories of Australia and New Zealand and reaped $2.8m overall from two number one debuts. The comedy opened in Australia on $2.6m and took $195,000 from 40 screens in New Zealand.

Becoming Jane, a Jane Austen biopic starring Anne Hathaway, got its worldwide launch in the UK and took $1.3m from 350 screens. The film is scheduled to open domestically in August.

Latest figures put the thriller Deja Vu on $105.4m with Japan set to open next weekend. The German comedy Wild Bunch 4 stands at $16.4m, while horror title Primeval has grossed $1m from the early stages of its run.

Universal/UPI's hit British comedy Hot Fuzz raised its total in the UK by $2.7m from 450 sites to $35.2m after four weekends. The film ranks second behind Norbit.

The crime caper Smokin' Aces added $1.4m from 500 sites in 27 territories for $16.3m. It ranks eighth in Germany on $1.2m after two weekends, and ranks fourth in Austria on $260,000 and sixth in New Zealand on $125,000, both also after two weekends.

The Good Shepherd raised its tally by $900,000 from 550 sites in eight territories to $9.7m. Moving into its third weekend in the UK, the spy saga took $316,000 from 160 sites to rank ninth on $3.3m. Germany stands at $2.8m after four, and Australia has amassed $2.4m after four.

Romantic comedy The Holiday has taken $129m internationally and opens in its final market of Japan on Mar 24.

Fox International reported latest cumulative tallies for a wide range of active films. Epic Movie added $2m from 650 screens in nine markets for $20.1m, Borat stands at $128m, Night At The Museum has amassed $283m, and The Last King Of Scotland stands at $20.7m.

Notes On A Scandal added $1.4m from 950 screens in 40 markets for $20.5m, while Pathfinder grossed $1.2m from 500 in three to raise its tally to $6.9m. Rocky Balboa added $1.2m from 1,400 in 26 for $76m through all distributors, and Little Miss Sunshine has grossed $36.7m.

Lionsgate's Saw III has grossed $78m after adding $1.7m from 19 territories thanks to a $1.2m Italian launch.