Refresh for latest…: Here we are with a sort of hybrid weekend at the international box office: there were fresh entries from the Hollywood studios, as well as major new titles timed to holiday play in local markets, and a holdover that’s continuing to rack up records.
On the studio side, Paramount/Spin Master’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie took top dog status in its expanded rollout. The family title had, last week, released in Australia and New Zealand before adding 43 offshore markets this session for a total $23.1M to date overseas. The global start is $46.1M.
Word of mouth is strong with these pups, who are out in just 53% of the international marketplace to date. On a like-for-like basis including previews, the overseas opening result is 70% ahead of Paw Patrol: The Movie, giving this Cal Brunker-directed title the best opening for the franchise.
Amid heavy competition, but also with praise from local media, China opened to $5.3M. Mexico was next at a No. 1 start of $2.8M, followed by Germany (No. 1/$2.4M), Italy (No. 2/$800K) and Czech Republic (No. 1/$700K). In holds, Australia delivered another $1M, up 11% from last week’s start ($2.8M cume) and NZ jumped 66% at No. 1 with a $480K total to date.
Next week, 12 more markets will open including Brazil and Korea. Later markets include Spain, France and the UK in October, followed by Japan in December.
New Regency/Disney’s The Creator from Gareth Edwards, had a solid start overseas with $18.3M from 48 markets. The global launch is $32.3M. This original sci-fi pic is coming in on par with Arrival on a like-for-like basis. That movie had benefited from a Venice launch pad, and while this one couldn’t travel talent like John David Washington and Gemma Chan, it nevertheless hit No. 1s in France, Spain, the UK (including previews), Netherlands, Hong Kong and Thailand. No. 2s were seen in Australia, Denmark and Taiwan, among others.
Here are the Top 5 starts: UK ($2.8M), France ($2M), Germany ($1.1M), Australia ($1M), Mexico ($800K). IMAX contributed $2.2M to the offshore bow. Next weekend sees openings in Korea and the Philippines. Japan goes on October 20.
Lionsgate’s Saw X also got buzzing this session for Hollywood. It grossed an estimated $11.3M from 50 markets this weekend for an estimated worldwide gross to date of $29.3M. In like-for-like markets, this is +11% ahead of Jigsaw’s opening.
Tops for the latest installment was Mexico with $2.36M at No. 2 and the best debut for the franchise there. The UK opened at No. 1 with $2.3M. Brazil grossed an estimated $911K at No. 2 spot and in line with Jigsaw.
In studio holdovers, Warner Bros/New Line’s The Nun II added $12.8M in 75 overseas markets. That’s a solid 45% drop. The international cume to date is $154.4M for $231.2M global.
Top 5 markets to date are: Mexico ($20.7M), Brazil ($9.7M), Indonesia ($9.1M), UK ($7.3M) and Italy ($7.1M).
Now, turning to offshore markets where Hollywood didn’t quite factor this weekend, a host of new local films dominated China and Korea, timed to key holidays. In the former, the Mid-Autumn Festival combined with National Day/Golden Week to see the release of five major titles, led by Zhang Yimou’s crime drama Under the Light with an estimated $62M. It’s followed by comedy fourquel The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan at about $54M, Chen Kaige’s war pic The Volunteers: To the War with $34M, Andy Lau-starrer Moscow Mission at $23M and sports comedy Lose to Win with $7M. The latter is a remake of Spanish hit Campeones which also had a U.S. redo via Focus. The China festivities continue this week.
In Korea, September 28-30 marked the Chuseok holiday, ushering in such new releases as CJ’s crime/horror Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman ($8.37M per Kobiz), historical sports drama Road to Boston ($4M) and Kim Jee-woon’s film-within-a-film Cobweb at $1.6M; that movie had its world premiere in Cannes this year.
Meanwhile, in India, Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan continued its juggernaut run, becoming the first Bollywood film ever to gross upwards of 700 crores. At 709 crores ($85.2M) through Saturday, it is the 4th highest-grossing film ever in the market, behind Baahubali 2, KGF Chapter 2 and RRR, according to Pinkvilla. Globally, the Atlee-directed blockbuster has grossed an estimated 1082 crore ($130M) through Saturday, now the 2nd biggest Bollywood movie of all time globally, behind only 2016 Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal which made a huge $189M in China whereas Jawan has not been released there. When Sunday numbers become available, we’ll update.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
A Haunting in Venice (DIS): $7M intl weekend (52 markets); $58.2M intl cume/$89.8M global
Oppenheimer (UNI): $3.3M intl weekend (83 markets); $611.2M intl cume/$933.7M global
The Equalizer 3 (SNY): $3.1M intl weekend (51 markets); $72.4M intl cume/$158.3M global
Barbie (WB): $2.1M intl weekend (66 markets); $800.3M intl cume/$1.433B global
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (SNY): $1.9M intl weekend (62 markets); $72M intl cume/$114.8M global
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PAR): $1.6M intl weekend (44 markets); $59.2M intl cume/$176.7M global
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (UNI): $742K intl weekend (26 markets); $8.5M intl cume/$34.9M global
Asteroid City (UNI): $660K intl weekend (56 markets); $24.3M intl cume/$52.4M global