Industry predictions that the final six weeks of the year would be massive at the overseas box office got a boost over the weekend as domestic champion "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" conjured up a record-setting $85.5 million kickoff.
And while the fourth of the "Harry Potter" series appears well on its way to surpassing the sales of prior film adaptations of the J.K. Rowling-penned family tomes, "The Chronciles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "King Kong" are standing by for international blasts off in December.
"Goblet" was No. 1 in all 19 countries where it opened, although only three were major markets, the U.K., Germany and Mexico. In addition, it was the first "Harry Potter" offering to open in China day-and-date with North America. "Goblet" opens in Japan, Italy, Spain and Brazil this coming weekend, followed by France and Australia the first weekend in December and Russia in the middle of December.
With U.K. sales of $25.9 million, "Goblet" ranks as the industry's biggest three-day opening weekend ever. The film also tallied $21.6 million in Germany, $7 million in Mexico and $3.6 million in Taiwan. The China bow of $4.1 million was the highest opening ever for a Warner Bros. film in the market.
While the overseas market may not reach the box office results of a record 2004, indications are that the disappointing first six months of this year may be tempered by a second-half spurt that included "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (foreign total: $264.2 million) and "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" as well as other offerings that have a chance to top $100 million by the end of the year.
"Flightplan" pulled in $10 million over the weekend (from 29 countries) to lift its total to $74.1 million. The Jodie Foster starrer has tallied $3.8 million in two sessions in France, $3.4 million in nine days in Korea and $13.8 million in six weeks in Germany, where it holds the No. 3 position.
"Chicken Little" nibbled $7.4 million from 17 countries for a cumulative total of $25.5 million. It opened at No. 1 in Spain and Holland.
Other weekend action saw "The Legend of Zorro" move up to $80.7 million after a $4.2 million weekend; "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" scored $6.2 million for a total of $21.9 million; "In Her Shoes" paced for $6.2 million for a gross of $23.6 million; "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride" grabbed $3.3 million to reach $58.2 million; and "Saw 2" entered Australia at No. 1 with $1.3 million, contributing to an overall $3.2 million weekend that lifted its total to $19.1 million.
"The Constant Gardener," No. 3 in the U.K. in its second weekend, took in $2.8 million from eight markets as its international total bloomed to $13.2 million.
Updated totals: "Elizabethtown," $18.3 million; "The 40-Year-old Virgin," $54.3 million; "Doom," $17.7 million; "Nanny McPhee," $27.1 million; "Pride & Prejudice," $41.2 million.