In generally mild boxoffice action across most overseas markets, Warner Bros.' "Gran Torino" and 20th Century Fox's "Marley & Me" tied on the weekend for the No. 1 spot on the international circuit, with each title grossing a relatively modest $8.8 million.The figures for each were the lowest weekend international grosses for a No. 1 attraction so far this year and pale on a per-market basis with the No. 1 boxoffice recorded by local-language films in France and in Germany.
Powered by Fete du Cinema festivities in France, the market experienced an exceptionally strong weekend.
Opening at No. 1 was Studio Canal's "Coco," a comedy starring Morocco-born stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh, who also makes his debut as a director. Described as "a comedy about money," the title character is an arriviste planning a lavish bar mitzvah for his son. Debut gross was a huge $8.5 million from 565 sites, or more than $15,000 per screen, representing about 46% of the total market action.
With a smash No. 1 opening in Germany was Constantin Film's "Mannersache," a comedy about two childhood friends co-scripted by and co-starring Martio Barth and Dieter Tappert, which tallied $4.4 million from 631 sites. (The Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader," starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet, rolled up a Germany cume of $13.2 million after a No. 3 weekend gross of $1 million from 493 situations in the market.)
The most notable Hollywood studio newcomer was Universal's "Duplicity," the caper film with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen portraying corporate spies pulling a con on their employers. Opening in 11 overseas markets day-and-date with its No. 3 domestic premiere, "Duplicity" earned $4.2 million from 998 screens. It ranks No. 5 overall on the weekend.
"Torino," starring Clint Eastwood, played 2,500 screens in 38 markets. "Marley & Me," which claimed the No. 1 spot in the prior weekend, also played in 38 markets but at 2,909 locations. A Brazil bow for "Torino" produced $409,000 from 104 screens, which the distributor describes as the biggest market opening for an Eastwood title. "Torino" held at No. 2 in France and in Italy and at No. 1 in Spain. Overseas cume stands at $60 million.
"Marley," the David Frankel-helmed family drama about an obstreperous dog, opened in seven markets, notably finishing at No. 1 for a second straight stanza in the U.K. with $2.9 million from 476 screens. Cume stands at $61.9 million.
Finishing at No. 2 on the weekend was Paramount's Watchmen," from director Zack Taylor, raised its overseas gross total to $60.1 million in its third stanza overseas thanks to a $7 million weekend from 4,338 spots in 58 territories.
The No. 3 title, DreamWorks Animation/Paramount's "Monsters vs. Aliens," made its overseas debut in Russian and the Ukraine a week before to its domestic bow. The 3-D animated film finished at No. 1 in both markets, registering a total of $6.9 million from 632 spots.
At 755 screens at 560 sites in Russia, the tally was $6.6 million, the fourth-largest market opener for an animation title. The gross was, per Paramount, 15% ahead of last year's "Kung Fu Panda" and 80% bigger than that of Oscar winner "WALL-E." Ukraine tally was $350,000 from 72 screens.
The 115 3-D screens played in Russia produced a $17,000 per-screen average, "well ahead of the $6,700 average for conventional 2-D screens," Paramount said. All "Monsters vs. Aliens" showings at three Imax venues were sold out. In all, 32% of the total business came from 3-D venues, which comprised only 15% of the total prints.