4TH UPDATE, 6:46 PM PT: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I was the clear winner this weekend, targeting $ 152M in 85 markets and contributing largely to the $ 259.6M grossed across the Top 10 studio releases. That total — helped by Interstellar‘s $ 70M 3rd frame, the continued China run of Penguins Of Madagascar, and Fury‘s entry to that market — put this session up about $ 100M compared to last week’s Top 10. When positioned against the same frame last year, the take was slightly higher. At that time in 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire debuted to $ 146M with Gravity pulling $ 35.7M from its China debut alone, and Thor: The Dark World still hammering away.
(Outside the Hollywood studios this frame, Studiocanal’s The Imitation Game added an estimated $ 3.3M in the UK and Ireland; and China‘s Rise Of The Legend was good for $ 11.9M, with holdover Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2 stealing $ 2.3M in six markets.)
Based on past performance, Mockingjay would be expected to continue its upward trajectory. Catching Fire topped out at about $ 440M in offshore box office last year, well above 2012′s $ 286M for the first in the series. With Mockingjay split into a two-part franchise finale, the Jennifer Lawrence-starrer could follow in the footsteps of other divided conclusions. To wit: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 earned $ 664M overseas whereas Part 2 grossed about $ 960M; The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 took about $ 430M internationally versus Part 2‘s $ 537M. Mockingjay has a small number of territories to go, plus China expected in early 2015. Mockingjay Part 2 begins rolling out November 18 next year.
Looking more closely into the future, next weekend sees Penguins in a major expansion and a bit of new blood in the overseas markets – both downright horrible and incredibly well-mannered.
See below the original posts for a closer look at those upcoming films, plus what happened in key Asian markets this weekend.
3RD UPDATE 12:57 PM PT: Sony has now chimed in with Fury‘s $ 12.4M weekend, a big jump on the previous frame thanks to the Brad Pitt World War II pic’s debut in China (see below).
2ND UPDATE, 12:17 PM PT: Warner Bros has come in with Interstellar numbers which up the international cume to $ 329M after three frames. Playing on about 17,560 screens in 64 territories, Christopher Nolan’s space epic is tracking 13% ahead of the studio’s Gravity and 10% ahead of the director’s own 2010 Inception at the same point in release. IMAX screens have provided $ 38.7M of the total offshore cume. After a couple of clear weekends, Interstellar was edged out by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I in many of its debut markets — save, notably, Korea, where Interstellar is a clear phenomenon. Below is the rundown on Interstellar‘s weekend, followed by earlier posts on Mockingjay‘s maiden flight and the frame’s holdovers.
After crossing the $ 200M mark at the international box office last weekend with a $ 107.9M frame that saw China bow at $ 41.7M, Interstellar added $ 70M this session to bring the overseas cume to $ 329M.
Japan was the final market to release Interstellar, landing $ 1.9M on 515 screens this weekend. The No. 1 bow placed it ahead of two local openers. This was a swift release in Japan whose lack of a major piracy problem often leads to films traveling there well after the rest of the world. But some event films can get closer to the initial wave of markets. With a holiday on Monday, this weekend’s slot gave Interstellar an extra benefit.
Interstellar remained No. 1 in China for the 2nd frame with a 40% share of the Top 5 films in release. The weekend was worth Rmb 187.5M ($ 30.6M) from 7,004 screens. The drop was just 26% in a week that saw the release of anticipated local pic Rise Of The Legend. Interstellar’s Middle Kingdom total now stands at an estimated $ 82.3M. It is Warner Bros’ second-highest grossing film there after 12 days in release.
Korea, which has been phenomenal for Interstellar, kept the film in the No. 1 spot, adding $ 10.4M on 1,127 screens. It is now the biggest Warner grosser of all time in the market with an otherworldly cume of $ 50.5M.
In the above three markets, Interstellar was not affected by Mockingjay‘s bow — the film has not been released in China or Japan, and came in lower in Korea. However, in various other European and Latin American territories, Mockingjay flew to the No. 1 spot in its debut (see earlier breakdown below).
In the UK, Interstellar grossed $ 2.9M in its 3rd frame for a cume of $ 25.2M. In Germany, it earned $ 2.4M from 626 screens in its 3rd session for a No. 2 spot and a total $ 13.3M. France added $ 2.4M from 678 screens, ranking No. 2 and totaling $ 16.5M so far. Russia, with its $ 2M No. 2 placement now has a cume of $ 21.2M. Australia added $ 1.9M from 498 screens at No. 2 and a $ 11.3M cume. Italy landed $ 1.6M from 465 screens for a cume of $ 10.4M. Spain, which pulled in $ 1.1M from 484 screens, ranking No. 2, now has a cume of $ 7.6M. In Brazil, and Mexico, Interstellar was in its 3rd frame and earned $ 927K from 336 screens (cume$ 5.3M) and $ 781K from 650 screens (cume $ 7.4M), respectively.
More analysis and a look at local pics a bit later on.
UPDATE, 10:26 AM PT: Although we are still waiting on numbers from a couple of studios – including Warner Bros with Interstellar – Mockingjay will be the weekend winner internationally after spreading its wings to take in $ 152M in 85 markets. I’ll update again with Interstellar numbers, but for now, see below the original Mockingjay post for figures from most of the other studios, including the continued run of Penguins Of Madagascar in China.
PREVIOUS, 9:06 AM PT: International estimates are rolling in from the studios today with Lionsgate roaring over Mockingjay’s $ 152M overseas weekend. That number beats 2013’s Catching Fire by 4%, on a dollar basis. Domestically, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I earned an estimated $ 123M, giving the first finale installment a worldwide cume of $ 275M after five days in release. The Francis Lawrence-helmed actioner started its offshore career in nine markets on Wednesday, expanding to 85 over the course of the weekend. It played on 17,000 in the biggest day-and-date release of the year, and Lionsgate’s widest release ever. After two days, it was estimated to be tracking about 5% ahead of Catching Fire which rolled out in an initial 63 markets last year and earned $ 146M in its first frame.
The studio says that opening weekend box office grew by 5%-19% over Catching Fire openings in most major markets, using admissions and local currency as a guide (U.S. dollar comparisons to Catching Fire below reflect currency devaluations).
I’ll be back in a bit with full updates from all of the studios and more, but in the meantime, here is the Mockingjay international breakdown:
The UK once again led the opening frame for a Hunger Games movie with $ 19.9M for Mockingjay I. That was 5% higher than Catching Fire. In Germany, Mockingjay opened to $ 13.7M, the biggest industry weekend of the year and 9% higher than Catching Fire. Unsurprisingly given the market’s growth in general, Russia had the biggest leap over Catching Fire with a 19% increase and $ 11.1M in box office.
Elsewhere in Europe, Italy, where Universal is releasing, gave Katniss & Co 40% of the market share and a No. 1 bow after last week’s local pic The Best School In The World, was the top earner. Mockingjay‘s four-day weekend estimate in Italy is $ 5.4M at 370 dates. France earned $ 10.5M over five days and grew 4% from the previous film; Spain‘s early estimate is $ 5.2M. In the Netherlands, Mockingjay took $ 2.4M, and Belgium grossed $ 2M; both of those were top opening weekends of the year locally.
Latin America saw strong results with a 37% uptick over Catching Fire. Notably, Mexico grossed $ 12.1M, for an over 70% market share; and Brazil garnered almost 60% market share on $ 8.8M during a long holiday weekend.
Australia had the best opening day and weekend of 2014 with $ 10.1M. That was about flat with Catching Fire in local currency, but was down 7% in U.S. dollars after factoring in devaluation.
Of the other major markets to release (China isn’t until 2015), Korea did $ 3.5M, growing 14% from Catching Fire, but unable to catch Interstellar which remains No. 1 there.
Weekend figures from the rest of Hollywood:
Fury rolled to a big number this weekend off the back of a China release. It grossed an estimated $ 12.4M in 48 markets with a $ 6.7M launch in the Middle Kingdom courtesy of QED International. The overseas cume is now $ 74.4M. Sony Pictures Releasing International markets grossed an estimated $ 4.9M on 1,763 screens, bringing Sony’s cume to $ 51.1M. QED’s markets delivered an estimated $ 7.5M with a cume of $ 23.3M. The China debut placed Fury at No. 4 in the market behind Interstellar, Rise Of The Legend and Penguins Of Madagascar. In Korea, Fury opened with a solid $ 3.2M on 532. That was good for No. 3. Greece opened to $ 275K on 82 screens.
Disney’s Big Hero 6 had no new openings this weekend, but earned $ 7M in its 5th session for an offshore cume that is now $ 49.5M. Playing in 23 markets, 19% of its international footprint, the inflatable giant is the bigget Disney/Pixar release of all-time in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. Russia leads the pack of overseas territories with $ 19.5M, followed by Mexico at $ 9.9M. Next weekend sees openings in Israel and Poland while Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil and Australia rollout throughout December. Korea, Germany and the UK get Big Hero 6 in January, followed by France in February.
With no new openings, Fox’s Gone Girl pulled another $ 2.38M at 1,661 sites in 31 markets. The cume is now $ 171.4M. Holdovers were led by France, where the David Fincher film had a small drop of 29% on 259 screens. An added $ 473K brought the cume there to $ 14.6M. In Australia, Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike squirreled away a further $ 407K on 212 screens for a cume of $ 22.4M. The UK remains the top ex-U.S. market with $ 35.38M.
Jim Carrey comedy Dumb And Dumber To’s second international frame in Germany, Austria, German-speaking Switzerland and Spain resulted in an estimated $ 2.2M at 900 dates. Germany grossed half of that with $ 1.1M at 460 dates for a cume of $ 3M. Spain held at No. 3 with $ 795K at 300 dates and a $ 2.3M cume. The overseas total is now $ 6.3M and Universal has three more territories to go: the UK/Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Universal’s Dracula Untold grossed an estimated $ 2.1M at 1,800 dates in 55 territories this frame. The international total is now $ 156.7M after its final overseas bow in Venezuela where it was No. 2 with $ 740K at 37 dates. Brazil was a strong hold at No. 4 with $ 646K at 249 dates for a 32-day total of $ 11.9M.
The Maze Runner has one territory to go, but it won’t be until May 2015 when Japan finds itself in the labyrinth. The Fox film added another $ 1.62M this frame, elevating the cume to $ 234.3M. In its 6th week of being embraced by France, TMR brought in another $ 622K taking the Gallic cume to $ 23.9M.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles added $ 1.2M from 2,398 locations in 19 Paramount markets. The cume ahead of the film’s final bow in Japan in February is $ 286M.
Laika’s The Boxtrolls grossed an estimated $ 1.2M at 2,500 dates in 42 Universal territories. Spain was the top holdover at No. 7 in week four with $ 339K. The international cume is now $ 56.2M.
The Book Of Life opened another $ 1M chapter across 1,175 screens in 14 markets. The UK and France continue to do good business for the Fox release with a total international cume now standing at $ 39.16M.
Ouija scared up an estimated $ 890k at 1,200 dates in 22 territories for a total of $ 19.3M. After bowing in Russia last weekend, the market was the top holdover at No. 3 with $ 465K at 559 dates and an 11-day total of $ 2.6M. The film has 17 territories still to release including Czech Republic and Greece on November 27, and Turkey on November 28.
In its 2nd Australia frame, Fox comedy Let’s Be Cops collared a further $ 679K for the No. 3 slot behind Mockingjay and Interstellar, and a cume of $ 2.56M. The total overseas cume is now $ 43.7M.
Richard Linklater’s Boyhood added an estimated $ 300K at 200 dates in 20 territories. The Universal total in 39 markets is $ 19.4M. There are five markets to go. Also from Universal, Get On Up grossed an estimated $ 190K at 240 dates in five territories for a total of $ 1.7M. The film opened in the UK/Ireland at No. 11 with $ 185K at 229 dates. There are six more territories to release including Poland and Spain on December 12.
KEY ASIA MARKET SPOTLIGHT
In China, the Universal-backed kung fu film Rise Of The Legend was the No. 2 movie behind Interstellar and ahead of Penguins Of Madagascar and Fury. Starring Sammo Hung, the origin story of martial arts icon Wong Fei Hung opened to an estimated $ 11.9M in two local markets. Also playing in China is Johnnie To’s Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2, which added $ 2.3M this frame from six Asian markets and now has a cume of $ 25M, per Rentrak. Next week, China gets Korean blockbuster Roaring Currents along with several romantic comedies. Meanwhile, folks are lining up for the December 18 release of Gone With The Bullets. As of earlier this week, the Jiang Wen period pic had already sold $ 20M in advance tickets.
Korea, where Interstellar is proving incredibly popular with local audiences, gave Mockingjay the 2nd spot this weekend in its debut. Although it outperformed Catching Fire, it’s not entirely surprising that the movie didn’t catapult ahead of what’s become a phenomenon for Christopher Nolan’s space odyssey. There is a very strong and vocal Nolan fanbase in Korea which has created out-of-this-world word of mouth, and Catching Fire topped out at $ 7.35M last year. Next week, Korea gets Dumb And Dumber To, Daniel Radcliffe’s Horns and Simon Pegg in Hector And The Search For Happiness. The latter could find particular favor given the market’s penchant for emotional comedy/dramas.
In its No. 1 Japan opening, Interstellar was up against the starts of Miracle: Devil Claus’ Love And Magic, a romantic comedy that debuted at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October and is directed by Isshin Inudo; and Mindset from director Yuichiro Hirakawa and based on the novel about a man visited by four ghosts after being involved in a car accident. Interstellar is released by Warner Bros in Japan where veteran local chief Bill Ireton this week announced his departure after 26 years at the studio.
Elsewhere in Asia, exact figures on Mockingjay in Thailand were not provided. While Catching Fire did only $ 3.3M there last year, that was good enough for the Top 10 of 2013. But that was before the May 22 coup d’état this year that saw protesters begin to flash the three-finger salute adopted from The Hunger Games. The salute was subsequently banned by the ruling junta, but was resurrected this past week with some students being detained and at least one movie theater in Bangkok canceling its screenings of Mockingjay for fear of being used as a meeting place for protesters.
NEXT WEEK
After opening in China two weeks early on November 14, the Penguins Of Madagascar are zooming into North America as well as parts of Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia next frame. In China, the family adventure has already amassed $ 23.3M. Although the series of films from which it is spun has not historically performed as well in China as some other DreamWorks Animation titles, the franchise has steadily improved its overseas numbers since the first movie was released in 2005. That one did about $ 339M foreign with the sequel tallying $ 424M and 2012’s Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted capturing $ 530.5M abroad. Penguins Of Madagascar picks up right after that threequel and sets the aquatic creatures in their own spy thriller.
Next week also sees Jasons Bateman and Sudeikis, Charlie Day and Jennifer Aniston back in action for Horrible Bosses 2. Warner Bros is going out day-and-date in myriad markets with the sequel on Thursday and Friday. North America releases on Wednesday to take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday frame, but Turkey Day doesn’t translate overseas so this is one of the rare weekends that is longer Stateside than abroad. In 2011, Horrible Bosses was a hit with $ 209.6M worldwide, although it was lower overseas with about $ 92M versus $ 117.5M domestic. The past summer brought success to Hollywood comedies – especially in markets like the UK and Germany – and there hasn’t been a franchise laffer with big-name stars in a while. The first film earned about $ 17M in the UK. The second one, however, will face off with a certain very polite bear from deepest darkest Peru.
Britons were baffled earlier this week when there was a ratings board issue with upcoming family release Paddington. The kerfuffle over the duffle-coated ursine came when the BBFC gave the film a PG rating, warning parents of “mild sex references” and “mild bad language.” Those were ultimately downgraded to “innuendo” (for an instance of comic flirting) and “infrequent mild bad language” (for one mumbled use of the British go-to ‘bloody’). With exceedingly warm and fuzzy reviews so far, Paddington looks like he has nothing to be concerned about when he arrives at his namesake station and throughout the UK and Ireland next Friday. The Studiocanal release from Harry Potter producer David Heyman then rolls out across Europe and parts of Asia and Latin America throughout December and January. The bear with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches will travel to the U.S. on January 16 via The Weinstein Co.
Nancy Tartaglione
