Inglourious Basterds stays top overseas, nears $100m

6 September, 2009 | By Jeremy Kay

Quentin Tarantino’s rambunctious warriors held on to their number one international berth thanks to an estimated $14.3m gross through Universal/UPI that raised the tally to $83.3m.

Meanwhile Fox International’s Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs is on the cusp of becoming the third biggest overseas film in history, while Warner Bros Pictures International’s Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the third biggest film worldwide in the franchise and became only the second in the series to cross £50m in the UK after Chamber Of Secrets in 2002.

* Inglourious Basterds is active in 2,946 sites in 35 territories and dropped only 27% from last weekend as it maintained its strong run. Combined with the $91m North American gross through The Weinstein Company, the film has raced to a $174.3m global running total.

It opened top in Finland on $355,000 from 28 and Argentina on $240,000 from 45, and also delivered number one launches in Croatia and Romania. Such has been the strength of audience reception across Europe, in fact, that after 18 days Inglourious Basterds has become Tarantino’s highest grossing film in Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.

In a string of impressive third weekend holds the film added $3.2m in Germany from 449 after a 2% drop for $14.1m, and boosted the tally in France, where it has ranked number one since it opened, by $2.7m from 234 after a 36% slide for $16.1m.

Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt and co added a further $1.3m from 205 in Australia after sliding 23% for $7.5m, and produced $1.2m in the UK from 443 following a 42% tumble for $14m. They held firm at number one in the Netherlands on $950,000 from at 79 after a 17% slide for $2.7m.

A final tally of well over $100m is assured given that there are 26 territories to go over the next three months, including Poland next weekend. The film opens in Israel on September 17, Spain on September 18, Italy on October 2, Brazil and Mexico on October 9, South Korea on October 29 and Japan on November 20.

* Unversal’s Public Enemies is also on course to join the $100m club after it added $2m from 2,244 venues in 41 territories for $95m. The gangster film held firm in fifth place in Spain as $680,000 from 357 locations following a 34% drop raised the tally to $9.1m after four weekends. Germany has produced $6.6m and there are three territories to go including Italy on November 6 and Japan on December 12.

Funny People added $1.4m from 619 in five for an early $6m and the comedy has grossed $4.1m in the UK after two weekends. Judd Apatow’s film opens in Australia next weekend.

Universal/UPI opened the drama The Soloist in limited released in Australia, New Zealand and Greece, reporting $450,000 from all three. Universal’s total for its four territories including Japan stands at $1m and the film will launch in the UK and Mexico on September 25.

* In its tenth weekend of release Fox International’s Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs overtook Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End to become the fourth biggest overseas release since records began. The animated hit stands at $657.5m after grossing a further $10.8m this weekend from approximately 5,000 screens in 39 markets.

It will climb to number three in the pantheon by next weekend as it currently trails Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone’s $658.9m by a mere $1.4m. The top two titles remain Fox International’s Titanic on $1.24bn and New Line International’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King on $742m.

Ice Age 3 continued to do a roaring trade in its second weekend in Italy, taking $7.3m from 911 screens after a 31% drop from its record-breaking animated opening for $25.3m. The film has grossed $77.9m in Germany, $69m in France, $56.6m in the UK, and $41.8m in Mexico.

* Family title Aliens In The Attic added $2.6m from roughly 1,600 screens in 16 markets for $20.2m, while the romantic comedy 500 Days Of Summer begins its international roll-out with a solid number three launch in the UK on $2m.

The Russian adventure comedy High Security Vacations added $2.8m from 1,035 screens in Russia for $14.1m.

* Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International’s Pixar release Up added $8.6m from 2,576 screens in 32 territories for $168.9m, powered by $2m from 179 theatres in Australia where the film is playing in 40% of the nation and will reach nationwide status by September 17.

Up took $1.6m in Brazil from 250 theatres and stayed in the top five in its sixth weekend in France as $1.6m from 270 raised the running total to $34.7m, which is roughly 30% higher than the entire run of Wall-E.

The film has been a storming success in Spain and in its sixth weekend ranked second after $1.1m from 475 raised the tally to $30.4m. Up is ahead of Ice Age 3 as the biggest animated release of the calendar year to date and is the second biggest Pixar release in Spain behind Finding Nemo.

* The Proposal added $5.6m from 1,879 locations in 40 territories for an excellent $124.7m with France and Japan still waiting in the wings. The romantic comedy added $1.7m in Italy from 220 and stands at $167.8m in Germany after six weekends. There was a good launch in South Korea, too, as the film took $953,000 from 185 theatres. The Proposal opened in Taiwan on $415,000 from 65.

G-Force delivered a further $5.4m from 2,899 theatres in 29 countries for $76.6m and added $1.1m in Russia from 435 for $9.3m after three. It opened in Singapore on 558,000 from 65 and stands at $21.5m in the UK after six.

* Warner Bros Pictures International’s (WBPI) comedy hit The Hangover grossed a further $4.7m from approximately 2,554 screens in 54 territories for $167.8m.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the third biggest worldwide release in the franchise after it added $4.4m from almost 3,900 screens in 58 markets for a $619.5m international and $916.4m global running total. In the UK, the film has crossed the £50m box office mark, which is the first time a film in the franchise has done this since Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets in 2002.

Horror title The Final Destination, which stayed top in its second weekend in North America, grossed $14m from 18 WBPI and non-WBPI territories in release to reach $31.1m.

It launched in first place in Germany on $3.9m from 414 screens and approximately 66% of this result came from 3D screens. There was a number one debut in Austria, too, where $84% of the $850,000 haul from 88 screens came from 3D venues. The film opened in second place in Holland on $649,000 from 57 and roughly 77% of the box office came from 3D screens. All three launches included previews.

* Sony Pictures Releasing International’s (SPRI) The Taking Of Pelham 13 added $6.4m from 2,020 screens in 42 markets for a $48.5m running total. The thriller remake launched in second place in Japan on $2.3m from 310 and opened in Russia on $750,000 from 250 for an unconfirmed rank. It opened in Brazil in third place on $700,000 from 182 screens and debuted in first place in Hong Kong on $310,000 from 32.

The Ugly Truth stands at $28.5m following a $4.1m weekend haul from 1,380 screens in 19 markets. Mexico provided the highlight as the comedy launched at number one on $820,000 from 301.

* The sci-fi action release District 9 grossed $4.6m from 1,000 screens in 15 SPRI markets for $21.6m. Factoring in non-SPRI markets, the cumulative tally rises to $24.8m. The big launch was the UK, where District 9 opened top on $3.6m from 543. The film has amassed $5.7m in Australia after four weekends, $600,000 in South Africa after two, and $1.3m in New Zealand after four.

In its first overseas forays, the drama Julie & Julia took $1.2m from 376 screens in three markets, recording $1m in Germany from 302 in seventh place, $100,000 in Austria from 47 in sixth, and $125,000 in German-speaking Switzerland from 27 for an unconfirmed rank.

Sony’s comedy Year One stands at $14.3m after $1.1m from 490 screens in 15 markets and has reached $2.6m in Spain after two weekends.

* Paramount/PPI’s G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra added $3.5m from 4,668 locations in 56 territories and after five weekends stands at $140m.

Horror title The Final Destination, which stayed top in its second weekend in North America, grossed $14m from 18 WBPI and non-WBPI territories in release to reach $31.1m.

It launched in first place in Germany on $3.9m from 414 screens and approximately 66% of this result came from 3D screens. There was a number one debut in Austria, too, where $84% of the $850,000 haul from 88 screens came from 3D venues. The film opened in second place in Holland on $649,000 from 57 and roughly 77% of the box office came from 3D screens. All three launches included previews.

In a sluggish end-of-summer round on the international circuit, "The Final Destination" in 3D narrowly outgrossed "Inglourious Basterds," emerging as the weekend's No. 1 title with a foreign boxoffice take of $15.5 million drawn from about 2,000 screens in 18 territories.

Boxoffice estimates Sunday had director Quentin Tarantino's World War II drama reigning at No. 1 overseas for the third consecutive weekend with a take of $14.3 million from 2,946 locations in 35 territories, with "Destination" logging in at $14 million. But, as Warner Bros. reported Monday, returns for the fourth title in New Line's horror-thriller franchise "came in higher than estimated."

Warners and various independent distributors handle the New Line series, about young people harboring deathly premonitions involving plane crashes, highway pileups, roller coasters run amok and, in "Destination," a violent race car mishap.

"Destination" had muscular No. 1 openings during the weekend in Germany ($4 million, including previews, from 414 screens), Holland, Austria and Poland ($1.3 million from 74 sites for a per-screen average of more than $17,000). The latest "Destination" is benefiting from 3D since most of the returns derived from situations in that format, Warners said.

So far, "Destination" is outpacing the comparable foreign gross of its three predecessors, accumulating $32.5 million after its second round. Worldwide, it has grossed $83.1 million thanks to a No. 1 finish domestically. Openings in Russia and Mexico are set for Wednesday.

Weekend newcomers on the foreign circuit included the U.K. debut of Fox Searchlight's "(500) Days of Summer," the offbeat romantic comedy starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which grossed $2 million during its first five days at 318 locations. Sony's "Julie & Julia," starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child, introduced itself in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland for $1.2 million from 376 spots.

"Basterds" opened in Finland, Croatia, Romania and Argentina and in each market registered the best opening-weekend gross of any previous Tarantino title. The Weinstein Co./Universal release has accumulated $83.3 million overseas and $174.3 million worldwide.

With 26 markets to play during the next three months, the international run of "Basterds" is on track to become the biggest to date for a Tarantino film. The director's "Pulp Fiction" grossed $101.9 million offshore in 1994, and 2003's "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" grossed $111.4 million, the Weinstein Co. said. "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" grossed $86.6 million in 2004, and 2007's "Death Proof" logged $28.7 million.

The year's biggest foreign grosser to date, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," added $10.8 million, drawn from 5,000 screens in 39 markets, to boost its international total to $657.5 million. Distributor Fox said the animation title is the fourth-largest overseas grosser in industry history, on pace by the middle of the week to take the No. 3 all-time spot behind only 1997's "Titanic" ($1.24 billion) and 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" ($742 million).

Pixar/Disney's "Up" continues its marathon overseas run with an $8.6 million weekend from 2,576 locations in 32 territories, raising its foreign cume to $168.9 million. Sony's "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" opened in six markets including Japan (No. 2 with $2.3 million from 310 locations) for an overall weekend take of $6.4 million from a total of 2,020 screens in 42 territories. Its cume is $48.5 million.

"The Proposal," the Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds pic that Disney describes as the year's No. 1 romantic comedy, pulled $5.6 million from 1,879 sites in 40 markets for a cume of $124.7 million. The distributor's "G-Force" bagged $5.4 million from 2,899 screens in 29 territories for a cume of $76.6 million.

Sony's sci-fi drama "District 9" raised its foreign cume to $21.6 million thanks to a $4.6 million weekend at 1,000 sites in 15 markets. A solid No. 1 opener in the U.K. produced $3.8 million from 447 sites.

Sony's romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" finished No. 1 in Mexico and hiked its offshore take to $28.5 million after a $4.1 million weekend at 1,380 screens in 19 markets. Paramount's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" lured another $2.7 million from 3,037 screens in 45 territories for an overseas cume of $138.8 million.

The best-grossing local-language production in France was TFM's "Neuilly sa mere," a comedy about a slum youth residing with a wealthy French family, which drew a No. 2 market spot with $1.9 million from 44 sites for a four-frame market cume of $13.2 million.

At No. 2 in the Paris area (but finishing fifth in the overall market) was "A Prophet," director Jacques Audiard's prison drama and Grand Prix winner at this year's Festival de Cannes, which took $1.6 million in its second weekend at 322 locations for a cume of $4.5 million. The top local-language newcomer was the market's No. 7 title, "Non ma fille, tu n'irais pas danser," a drama starring Chiara Mastroianni about the travails of a single mother of two children. Its opening tally was $1.1 million from 200 situations.

Germany's hottest local-language title, Constantin's "Horst Schlammer-isch kandidier," a political satire ranking No. 3 in the market, lifted its three-stanza cume to an estimated $9.7 million thanks to a $2.1 million weekend at 654 sites.

Other international cumes: Warners' "The Hangover," 168.3 million (due to a $5.2 million weekend at 2,500 screens in 54 markets); Fox's "High Security Vacation," $14.1 million (from two Russia frames); Warners' "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," $619.6 million ($916.5 million worldwide); Sony's "Year One," $14.3 million (thanks to a $1.1 million weekend at 490 sites in 15 markets); Paramount's "Imagine That," $3.5 million; Universal's "Public Enemies," $95 million; Fox's "Aliens in the Attic," $20.2 million; Paramount's "Dance Flick," $3.2 million; Universal's "Funny People," $6 million (thanks to a $1.4 million weekend at 619 situations in five markets); DreamWorks/Paramount's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," $430 million; Fox's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," $234.8 million; DreamWorks/Universal's "The Soloist," $1 million; Fox's "Taken," $47.8 million (Fox territories only); and DreamWorks/Paramount's "The Uninvited," $12.3 million.

Hmm. I really have a hard time seeing it getting to Saw III's $164 million.

"Deathly premonitions ruled the overseas boxoffice during the weekend as "The Final Destination" in 3D emerged as the international circuit's No. 1 boxoffice title for the second consecutive round, extracting $17.3 million from 2,900 screens in 28 territories.

A 10-territory increase in markets played by the fourth title in New Line's horror-thriller franchise resulted in a $1.8 million boost from the previous weekend's gross. Even so, the weekend take for the tale of young people's lethal forebodings was the eighth lowest this year for a No. 1 title, indicating a generally slow post-summer session overseas.

Warner Bros. is handling "Destination" overseas along with independent distributors. A No. 1 Russian opening yielded an estimated $7.7 million from 600 sites for a mighty $12,833 per-screen average.

The international cume from all distributors is $55.3 million; worldwide, the gross is $113.6 million. A Mexico opening is set for Wednesday.

At No. 2 overall was Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," which is expected to cross the $100 million foreign-boxoffice mark today. The World War II drama drew $9.4 million during the weekend at 3,014 locations in 36 territories.

In its fourth round in France, it finished No. 1 with $1.5 million from 258 sites. Its overseas cume is $99 million after four rounds overseas.

Universal said "Basterds" has 26 markets still to play including such key territories as Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Korea. "Basterds" opened No. 1 in Poland during the weekend with $678,00 from 78 sites for a nearly $8,700 per-screen average. This week will see debuts in Israel, Lebanon, Singapore and Spain. Its worldwide gross is $203.3 million.

In third was Pixar/Disney's animated "Up," which continued it marathon overseas push with a $8.4 million weekend from 3,114 screens in 21 territories. Its total overseas cume is $181.3 million. This week, the film rolls out fully in Australia and opens in German-speaking markets.

Fourth place went to the sci-fi drama "District 9" -- being handled by Sony and other distributors -- which landed $8.1 million during the weekend to push its foreign cume to $35.8 million. It opened No. 1 in Spain ($2.9 million from 356 sites) and remained on top in its second U.K. round with $1.9 million from 552 situations for a market cume of $7.8 million.

Thanks to a big No. 1 Italy opening ($4.8 million from 877 screens), Fox's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" tied for the fifth spot with $7 million overall during the weekend from 4,100 screens in 35 markets. Its international cume stands at $670.2 million.

It tied with Constantin/Film Verleih's "Wickie und die starken Manner," director Michael Herbig's family adventure about a timid Viking youth taking to the sea. Its opening round in the territory generated an estimated $7 million from 735 locations.

Sony's "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" lifted its foreign gross to $56.2 million thanks to a $3.9 million weekend at 2,020 locations in 52 markets. The subway suspense title opened at No. 1 in Venezuela and Chile and No. 2 in Colombia and New Zealand.

A pair of romantic comedies generated similar weekend grosses: Sony's "The Ugly Truth," starring Katherine Heigl, drew $3.9 million from 1,375 screens in 28 territories for a cume of $34 million. Disney's "The Proposal," starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, elicited $3.6 million from 2,191 screens in 44 markets for a cume of $130.2 million.

Universal is releasing Focus Features' "9" in eight markets, with openings in Russia, Ukraine and Estonia during the weekend. Its tally was $2.7 million from 490 sites. Paramount's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" boosted its cume to $145 million thanks to a $3.5 million weekend at 3,506 spots in 57 markets.

In France, Lionsgate/Lakeshore Entertainment's "Gamer," a virtual-reality outing about a rebellious gamer starring Gerard Butler, opened at No. 2 in Paris and suburbs. Marketwide, the best local-language title was "Le coach," a comedy directed by Olivier Doran. Its No. 2 opening weekend across the market provided $1.4 million from 390 locations.

Meanwhile, TFM's "Neuilly sa mere," the No. 3 market tile during the weekend, has taken in a total of $14.7 million over five frames. Director Jacques Audiard's prison drama "The Prophet," which finished No. 5, has made off with $5.9 million over three stanzas.

Other international cumes: Universal's "Funny People," $9.1 million (after a $2.2 million weekend at 815 sites in six territories); Sony's "Julie & Julia," $3 million (after a $1.5 million weekend at 778 screens in five markets, including a No. 6 bow in the U.K.); Universal's "Public Enemies," $97 million; Fox's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," $187.7 million (thanks to a $2.6 million Japan opening at 511 sites); Disney's "G-Force," $80.1 million (after $2.7 million from 2,668 sites in 28 territories); Warners' 'The Hangover," $174.1 million (thanks to a $3.4 million weekend from 2,290 screens in 52 markets); Fox's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," $236 million; and Fox's "Aliens in the Attic," $23.2 million. "

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It tied with Constantin/Film Verleih's "Wickie und die starken Manner," director Michael Herbig's family adventure about a timid Viking youth taking to the sea. Its opening round in the territory generated an estimated $7 million from 735 locations.

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Warner Bros. is handling "Destination" overseas along with independent distributors. A No. 1 Russian opening yielded an estimated $7.7 million from 600 sites for a mighty $12,833 per-screen average.
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That seems like an awfully low number, did the prices for children's tickets really hurt that much?
I mean, we are looking at more than 1 million admissions for the 5-day weekend, maybe even for the 4-day weekend. Add the other German speaking areas and it should be about 1.5 million admissions.

Basterds made over 3 million with only 250k admissions last weekend, which would put Wickie at 17-20 million. Sure, Basterds didn't have the disadvantage of cheap tickets, but does it really make that much of a difference?
I can understand if it's a few million less, but this is less than half the number.

Basterds was also overlong. My theatre charged twice the usual over-length fee for it because it was over 150 minutes.

But even then it's low. Should be $9-10 million.

They always took their time announcing the FD sequels, so I wouldn't expect an announcement soon.

I wonder whether Night at the Museum 3 will come. The second film heading towards $415 million worldwide. Not too shabby, really. Give the next a December release (2012) and it's set for $500+ million WW again.

Do you expect another FD in the standard 3 years that they've been taking or more or less?

Absolutely. The pattern paid off.


Now LG should stop being stupid and go for My Bloody Valentine 2.

They always took their time announcing the FD sequels, so I wouldn't expect an announcement soon.

I wonder whether Night at the Museum 3 will come. The second film heading towards $415 million worldwide. Not too shabby, really. Give the next a December release (2012) and it's set for $500+ million WW again.

Sorority Row opened with $1.22M at number 4

This is great for a horror film. It made more than Julie and Julia, Adventureland and Whiteout (opened at number 13)

FINAL DESTINATION 3D has made $17,000,000 in 3 weeks, wow. add another $1.5m this weekend