UDPATE, SATURDAY 11:40 AM PT: After late returns on Friday showed that Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures 300: Rise Of An Empire had brought in huge Thursday numbers internationally, reporting has now come in for Friday around the world. Yesterday, my colleague Anita Busch reported that in 32 markets, the sequel had taken in an estimated $12.1M over two days in international release, with $9.5M coming from Thursday alone. Now playing in 58 markets, the movie grossed an estimated $20.2M on over 14,400 screens on Friday. The Wednesday-Friday cume is $32.8M. Thats about 9% ahead of the original 300. That movies top ex-U.S. markets were, in order, the UK, Spain, Korea, Germany and Italy. Theres still a hunger in those territories for the franchise; and there are others that are showing keen interest. It should be noted that we dont usually get this kind of daily reporting for international. With a mid-$40Ms haul expected in the U.S. for the weekend, its likely that, as with the first 300, the bulk of the takings will come from overseas.
On Friday, Rise Of An Empire scored a No. 1 opening in the UK with an estimated $1.6M from 955 screens for 44% of the top five market share. Spain, which has less disposable income than it did at the time of the 2007 original, was also a No. 1 debut with $1.1M from 611 screens. Korea was a big No. 1, adding $1.46M for a two-day haul of $2.1M. Germany, which clocked $1.4M on its opening Thursday, continued at No. 1 on Friday with an additional $1.25M on 582 screens for an estimated total of $2.6M. Italy has an estimated total of $1.1M after adding $600K on Friday on 471 screens. Outside the leading territories for the original, Russia, where one might think the public has other things than movies on its mind, scored an estimated $1.5M on 1,441 screens, continuing at No. 1 with 60% of the market share. The cume there is $2.8M. Mexico opened to $1.4M on 1,780 screens, to rank as the 3rd biggest March opening of all time, ahead of Alice In Wonderland and Ice Age 2. Brazil opened to $1.3M for Warners biggest opening day with a 16-rated film. France on Friday added $1.07M from 454 screens for a $4M cume. Australia added $626K from 467 screens and a $1.2M cume. Taiwan and Greece also opened. The former provided $400K on Friday and in the latter, the cume after two days is $693K.
PREVIOUS, FRIDAY AM: Warner Bros 300: Rise Of An Empire is off to a strong start as it begins its international rollout. It hit France, Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland on Wednesday. It also bowed in Australia and kicked off in Germany, Russia and Italy on Thursday. In France, the Noam Murro-directed sequel took $1.83M on 454 screens on its opening day where it was No.1 even faced with the 2nd frame of hitmaker Dany Boons Supercondriaque. Rise Of An Empire also opened 7.6 times higher than the 2nd new movie in the market, Volker Schondorffs historical drama Diplomatie. It bested the original 300 by 20%. In Belgium, Rise Of An Empire, grossed $195K at 80 dates. In Francophone Switzerland, it earned $36K on 21 screens. Both openings were more than 50% bigger than the original movie. The projected gross in Australia on Thursday was $536K at 470 dates for a No. 1 slot that nearly triples No. 2 film Vampire Academy.
Rise Of An Empire, which follows Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) as he leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and Artemisia (Eva Green), the vengeful commander of the Persian navy, goes out in 58 countries this weekend. Its also bowing Stateside where its tracking at $40-$45M. The original 2007 film, directed by Zack Snyder, grossed $210.6M domestically and added a further $245.5M overseas. Its likely the sequel will best that international tally. Contrary to the first film, it is being released in IMAX and 3D. The first time around, 300s top ex-U.S. market was the UK, followed by Spain, Korea, Germany and Italy making those key territories to watch this weekend.
In other major releases, Foxs Mr Peabody & Sherman will expand in 36 new markets including Russia, Spain, Poland and Sweden. Its also bowing in the U.S. after starting its international run five weeks ago. It currently has a $39.8M cume. The Grand Budapest Hotel is checking into the U.S. as well as the UK, Germany and Belgium. The films profile is sky high in Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, after a superb world premiere as the opening night movie of the Berlin Film Festival. Dallas Buyers Club, hot off Matthew McConaugheys Best Actor Oscar win, opens in Chile via Universal this weekend as well as in Korea, Hungary and Sweden. Other Oscar movies releasing this week include The Great Beauty in Mexico, and 12 Years A Slave In Japan, the Philippines and Serbia. Im told that many international distributors have requested approval for a bigger marketing campaign and an increase on their print costs on 12 Years. Most majors are expecting to hike the movies current box office by 30%-40% by the time the run ends. Its still in over 50 markets and has and international cume of $89.93M. Other holdovers include Robocop, The Lego Movie, Pompeii, Peabody & Sherman, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, Monuments Men, Frozen and The Book Thief.
A word about France: 12 Years has notably had a good run there where it is the only non-Gallic pic in the top five films of 2014. Mars Distribution now has it at over 500 playdates. Paths Supercondriaque, by Dany Boon, is thus far Frances biggest hit of 2014. It sold just over 367K tickets on its first day last week, which is the 12th best opening ever for a local movie, but was 9 slots down from Boons 2008 mega-blockbuster Bienvenue Chez Les Chtis. Its now sold over 2.1M tickets. French films have been holding well at the top of the box office over the past two months with Supercondriaque followed by comedy Les 3 Frres Le Retour, biopic Yves Saint Laurent and Christophe Gans La Belle Et La Bte re-imagining. International figures will be updated as the weekend continues.
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Source: http://www.deadline.com/2014/03/international-box-office-300-rise-of-an-empire-seeks-world-domination-opens-no-1-in-france-12-years-looking-at-oscar-bump/