‘The Secret Life Of Pets’ Pounces Past ‘Suicide Squad’

Refresh for latest…: The scrappy crew of Illumination/Universal’s The Secret Life Of Pets has claimed the No. 1 spot at the international box office — for the first time, and in the picture’s 9th frame of overseas play. With a $45M weekend in 53 markets, Max, Snowball and Duke leapfrogged over another motley bunch as Suicide Squad came in with a $38M third session in 64. In doing so, the Pets deprived Warner Bros’ DC adaptation of a No. 1 offshore trifecta. But, with a 36% drop from its sophomore session, Suicide Squad lands No. 2 amongst studio titles and pushes past the $300M mark at overseas turnstiles. The international cume is now $310.4M.

The dogged Pets, meanwhile, are wagging their way to $700M global. While this weekend’s No. 1 is the gang’s best chart position since international rollout began in a very staggered pattern back in late June, it is not the movie’s biggest weekend gross. That came earlier in August when it barked up $69.3M in its 7th frame (which included a China debut). The Yarrow Cheney/Chris Renaud-helmed animated pic this weekend was catnip in Russia, unleashing $19.5M and setting new records in the market. (The Russia number includes five days of previews at $6.4M; if those were excluded, Pets would still top Suicide at $38.6M.) The offshore cume is now $327.8M for a $674.5M global tally — and there are 10 more territories to come.

In new openers, Paramount/MGM’s Ben-Hur kicked up $10.7M in 23 overseas plays. There were No. 1s in five markets including Mexico, India and the Philippines. Per the studio, the debut in like-for-like markets and at today’s exchange is 31% lower than Exodus: Gods And Kings and 39% below Hercules. WB’s War Dogs also deployed, in 31 markets, with $6.5M from 2,700 screens.

Breakdowns on the above and more are being updated below…

NEW
BEN-HUR

Paramount and MGM’s re-sandal of the classic 1959 epic came off the starting block with $10.7M in 23 international markets (including 18 where Par is releasing and five where it’s MGM). The Timur Bekmambetov-helmed tale of sibling rivalry and redemption is currently playing in 31% of the offshore marketplace with many more territories to come. The pic’s biggest launch was Mexico where it raced to No. 1 with $2.8M at 700 locations. While the overall weekend total in all 23 markets was below the comps as noted above, the film came in on par with Hercules and 8% below Exodus in Mexico.

The offshore v domestic splits on those previous films was 70-75% weighted to foreign and that scenario is expected to be similar here with the North American debut taking a spoke to the wheel. Paramount is on the hook for 20% of the $100M production cost, MGM’s stake is 80%.

The genre tends to do well in Latin America (and Russia which won’t release until September 8). Brazil, where Suicide Squad is still leading in its 3rd frame, opened at No. 2 with $2.5M from 574 locations. The start in the Olympics host country was 23% below Hercules and 50% below Exodus. Conversely, Venezuela beat the comps with $817K at 61 locations — double Hercules and +48% v Exodus.

The Philippines was a No. 1 launch with $598K at 169; 48% below Hercules and 69% under Exodus. There were also No. 1s in India, Peru and Bulgaria.

The Jack Huston-starrer next weekend adds Australia, Argentina and the Netherlands. Germany and Spain enter the race on September 1. Rollout then continues through September with a final spin around the arena in Japan on January 13.

WAR DOGS

Warner Bros is unleashing Todd Phillips’ comedy throughout September, first deploying it in 31 markets this frame including Russia and Australia. The weekend for the Jonah Hill/Miles Teller-starrer that’s based on a true story was $6.5M from 2,700 screens. In Russia, War Dogs placed at No. 2 behind the canines of The Secret Life Of Pets and contracted $1.9M which WB puts ahead of the comps it’s using: American Hustle, The Hangover and Due Date. War Dogs in Australia grossed $1.1M with performances increasing day-to-day. The movie has a B CinemaScore domestically where the R-rated pic opened to $14.3M.

Another comp to bear in mind is 2013’s Pain & Gain which had bigger international stars in Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg but is similarly based on a true story. Russia led offshore markets on that film which cumed $36.3M overseas during its lifetime. Next weekend, Hill & Teller take their convoy to the UK, followed by Mexico, Brazil, Spain, France, Italy and Germany throughout September.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

From Focus Features and Laika, the animators behind The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman and Coraline, Kubo opened in eight international markets with an estimated $900K. The story of a young boy who must locate a magical suit of armor worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit played best in Australia this frame, taking $513K at 227 dates. The Saturday numbers, which are most heavily weighted to kids and families, were good, per Universal, with the full weekend opening higher than Boxtrolls and Shaun The Sheep. In New Zealand, the start was $77K at 65 dates, better than Boxtrolls and Coraline. Taiwan posted $90K at 49, topping Boxtrolls and ParaNorman. Both those films ultimately found domestic v foreign splits that were about even with Boxtrolls cuming $58.5M.

Rollout on the well-reviewed Travis Knight-directed pic is spread over the next few months with more launches this week in Bolivia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru and Spain.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

Like a dog with a bone, Illumination/Universal’s Secret Life Of Pets still has its teeth sunk into the offshore box office, adding another big weekend at $45M in 53 territories. That lifts the overseas kitty to $327.8M for a $674.5M global tally. The frame was led by a huge start in Russia which rolled over for Pets at $19.5M including a record-setting $6.4M in five days of previews. That gives the film the biggest opening weekend ever for an original animated title and the second biggest animated launch frame ever, behind Illumination/Universal’s Minions.

There were a total nine markets added this frame, which is the 9th for the film overseas. No. 1 openings aside from Russia were in Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon and Portugal. No. 2s came from the Middle East.

Portugal meowed to $924K and is on track to give the film the biggest opening weekend of the year. In Latvia, Pets is already the top opener of 2016 with $216K.

Holds are strong with Pets again at No. 1 in Japan. The total there is now $22.7M. In a crowded field in China, Pets wolfed down another $3M for a $55.5M cume. France saw a jump of 12% over last weekend and is keeping the No. 1 spot warm for the 4th consecutive frame and a 26-day total of $18M. Spain also went to the dogs who hold No. 1 again, for the third time in a row, with $15.6M across 17 days. In Germany, Pets is at No. 2 in week four and a total $24.8M. The animals bunny hop to Brazil, Indonesia and the Philippines this week.

SUICIDE SQUAD

Warner Bros’ supervillains passed $500M at the worldwide box office earlier this week and dropped just 36% in their third overseas weekend. But faced with Pets power, the film did not make it a No. 1 trifecta at the international box office as its DC cousin Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice did earlier this year. Still strong with a $38M third session in 64 markets, the gang cruised past the $300M overseas mark with $310.4M to date.

Germany was the key new play this frame with a very good $6.8M No. 1 start on 884 screens. The kickoff is 13% bigger than Guardians Of The Galaxy and on par with Deadpool.

In holds, Brazil takes the cake at $3M for No. 1 and a $27.8M cume. Italy continues to slay at No. 1 with $2.9M this weekend and a $7.4M cume that bests the entire run of GOTG. The Squad slipped to No. 2 in the UK where Finding Dory swam upstream to reclaim No. 1 in her 4th frame. The cume for Suicide there is $36.1M.

The UK leads offshore markets, followed by Brazil, Mexico ($23.6M), Russia ($22.6M), Australia ($21.1M), France ($15.1M), Korea ($14.2M), Spain ($9.7M), Taiwan ($8.4M) and Italy ($7.4M). Japan is still on deck for September 10.

STAR TREK BEYOND

Beaming up notably in Korea, France and Spain, Paramount/Skydance’s latest in the franchise added $11.3M for an offshore total of $84.2M. The Star Trek Beyond crew was in Seoul on Tuesday for a screening and press conference which paid off with a No. 2 opening and $5.6M from 681 locations. Its Korea bow came behind local pic Tunnel which has now cumed $37M. In France, the start was $2.1M in 3rd place; likewise Spain’s opening was No. 3 with $978K. Brazil, China, Mexico and Japan are still to come.

JASON BOURNE

As it approaches $300M worldwide, Universal’s Jason Bourne clocked another $11.3M in 59 territories this weekend. The offshore cume is $137.9M and the global total is $278.8M. There were no new openings this frame. France held at No. 2 for a total $6.4M; Germany held No. 3 and has grossed $5.7M to date. In the UK, the cume is $26M. There are 16 more territories to release with China coming Tuesday.

GHOSTBUSTERS

Sony’s remake added another $7.9M from 4,700 screens to take the international cume to $84.2M. The key opening this weekend was Japan where the Paul Feig-helmed pic grossed $4.3M, including previews, from 694 screens. The start was on par with X-Men: Days Of Future Past, says the studio. Mexico delivered $1.1M for a total $5M. France and Spain lifted their cumes to $2.8M and $2.2M, respectively, in the 2nd frames. Korea is next on August 25.

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