Refresh for latest…: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them let loose on the international box office this weekend with a $143.3M start in 63 markets. Blowing past projections, Warner Bros’ David Yates-directed franchise-starter broke Wizarding World opening records in 11 markets, including Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Russia and Brazil. In the UK, where the movie bowed to $18.3M, it is the biggest opening weekend of the year (neck-and-neck with WB’s own Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice). On 276 IMAX screens, the Beasts captured $7M.
JK Rowling’s first time as screenwriter is also the top launch of 2016 in Germany Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland; and the biggest WB bow in those along with France, Holland and Denmark. In terms of the Potterverse, Fantastic Beasts topped Philosopher’s Stone, Chamber Of Secrets, Goblet Of Fire and Prisoner Of Azkaban. Against non-Potter comps, it exceeded the debuts of The Jungle Book, Maleficent and each of the three Hobbit movies.
The UK leads overseas markets at $18.3M on 1,880 screens to best all Potter pics save the final two. Korea is the other double-digit market with $14.1M on 1,430 screens. That’s WB’s 3rd highest opening weekend ever. China and Japan are on deck next weekend.
Muggles also had a date with Doctor Strange as the Disney/Marvel blockbuster careened past Ant-Man at the global — and Chinese — box office this weekend. Benedict Cumberbatch’s surgeon-turned-Sorcerer Supreme has grossed $571.5M worldwide to date, and $390M international after a $26M 4th offshore frame.
Doctor Strange is closing in on Iron Man‘s $585M global and in China has crossed the $100M threshold to become only the 6th Hollywood movie to crack the century mark this year (8th if we count Warcraft and Kung Fu Panda 3). The Middle Kingdom cume to date is $103.2M, giving the good Doctor a leg up on Ant-Man, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice there. This is all before Japan bows on January 27.
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