Refresh for latest…: After setting a new opening day record for a local title in India, S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR (Rise! Roar! Revolt!) continued a strong run in the home market throughout the weekend and picked up an estimated $3.8M from 16 offshore hubs along with $9.5M from North America.
The India total is still murky, but looks to be about $46M which would put the worldwide start near $60M — if the India numbers hold, they would make RRR the No. 1 movie globally this weekend. These figures come with a big asterisk as it is notoriously difficult to get solid numbers out of India, but this is what our sources indicate. Here’s the thing: there is no centralized reporting system in India and it gets even more ornery when a movie is released in four different language versions as is the case with RRR. Some areas also report net figures while others rely on gross versus share of ultimate takings.
Based on the estimates we’ve received, the Telugu film had the second best opening weekend ever for an Indian title at home as well as in North America behind Rajamouli’s own Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. RRR also topped that film on its opening day in India to set a new all-time record. In IMAX, the global take was $1.5M (including $410K in India) for the second biggest IMAX opening for an Indian pic worldwide and locally. Hopefully more figures will shake out on Monday to clarify the situation.
In other new openers, Paramount’s The Lost City debuted in just 16 smaller markets repping 7% of the international footprint. The $3.7M take for Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum’s romcom adventure is, on a like-for-like basis in the same markets, tracking 50% over Jungle Cruise, 49% ahead of Free Guy, 38% over Central Intelligence and 23% above Spy.
The Middle East region led play at $2M from 238 locations. There were also No. 1 debuts in Indonesia ($490K/from 382), Israel ($265K/34) and Romania ($220K/76). Major overseas markets begin rollout in mid-April including Spain, Australia/New Zealand and the UK, followed a week later by France, Brazil, Mexico, Germany and Korea.
In holdovers, Warner Bros/DC’s The Batman added $25M during the session from 76 international markets. That’s another great hold of -49% with Spain dropping just 24%, Australia 31% and France and Brazil 40%. IMAX crossed the $50M global mark with the Caped Crusader, now at $52.7M, including $21.2M from offshore.
The overseas running cume on the Matt Reeves-directed trip to Gotham is $340.9M for $672.9M worldwide. The UK continues to lead all play at $47.4M, followed by Mexico ($28M), Australia ($24.1M), France ($22.2M) and Brazil ($20.2M). In China, where The Batman bowed last weekend, during a Covid spike that forced about half the country’s cinemas to close, the total is now $17.9M.
In China this weekend, and for the first time in a long time, three Hollywood films led the frame. The Batman dropped to No. 2 as Roland Emmerich’s Moonfall debuted at No. 1 there and took an estimated RMB 61.8M ($9.7M). It was followed by The Batman, and Sony’s Uncharted with $13.6M to date. (China is still dealing with the Covid surge and Pudong is now headed under lockdown from Monday through April 1.)
Uncharted, for its part, mapped out an extra $7.7M in 55 offshore markets this frame. The international cume is now $223.9M for $357.5M global. Performances are led by the UK ($31.3M), France $(18.8M), Russia ($17.2M), China ($13.6M) and Germany ($12.9M).
After beginning early offshore rollout last weekend, Universal’s Michael Bay crime drama Ambulance added $6.7M in 58 markets this session. The offshore cume is $12.8M ahead of the domestic release on April 8. Holdovers saw a 49% drop while new openers including the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan were in line with Wrath Of Man. The Jake Gyllenhaal-starrer had its best debut in France during the frame with $974K at 434 locations and ranking No. 2 behind The Batman. This followed a premiere event last Sunday on the Champs-Elysées with talent in tow. The top markets to date are Saudi Arabia ($2.1M), Mexico ($1.7M), France ($974K), UAE ($769K) and the UK ($738K). Releases still to come include Korea, Australia, Spain and China.
Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys saw just a 28% dip in its holdover markets following an early overseas release last session. The weekend in total was good for $6.5M in 37 markets for an offshore cume of $16.8M. Getting out early on the Pierre Perifel-directed adventure comedy is timed to Easter breaks with Spain leading the charge. The film was again No. 1 in the market, over The Batman, and has now grossed $3.6M with a slight 13% drop from open. The Top 5 markets to date are rounded out by Mexico ($3.2M), Germany ($1.7M), Brazil ($1.2M) and Argentina ($771K). Up ahead are Italy, Australia, UK, France, China and Korea. Domestic goes April 22.
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