Variety reports The Golden Compass on the international success of The Golden Compass, with non-domestic earnings outdoing the US domestic boxoffice three times over.
International moviegoing for 2008 got started with a bang as "I Am Legend" and "The Golden Compass" delivered a one-two punch to lead the way for a third straight weekend.
"I Am Legend" stayed solid with $34 million from 3,900 prints in three dozen markets for a beefy $170.2 million foreign cume, while "The Golden Compass" continued to tally amazing numbers overseas with $29 million at 7,000 playdates in 59 territories for an international total of $232 million.
With many markets still on holiday break, overall offshore biz remained robust, with five additional pics -- "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Enchanted," "Bee Movie" and "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" -- topping $13 million apiece.
All told, the top seven films in international plexes combined for about $140 million. With the exception of "I Am Legend" and the "AVP" sequel, family fare dominated.
"I Am Legend" launched impressively in Australia with $8.5 million, more than double the debut of "Alvin," and stayed sturdy in the U.K. with a 38% decline to $8 million in its second frame for a $37 million Brit cume. The Will Smith sci-fier also dominated in its Greek debut with $1.9 million and in New Zealand with $1.1 million.
"Legend" has been outperforming similar titles such as "Minority Report" and "I Robot," each of which cumed more than $200 million internationally. It should continue to top the foreign charts next weekend as it heads into Germany and Italy.
"The Golden Compass" remains a paradoxical performer whose B.O. underlines the widespread appeal of fantasy fare outside the U.S. With fifth-frame foreign grosses coming in at $29 million, it did more than 10 times the pic's domestic take of $2.7 million over the frame. (U.S. cume is $65.5 million.)
Combined worldwide take for "Compass," handled internationally by a variety of distribs, is now at $298.5 million, with the foreign take contributing a stunning 78% of that figure. New Line sold off foreign rights to help finance the pic, which carries a reported $180 million pricetag.
Disney's "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" remained in the hunt with $19.1 million at 4,382 in 31 markets, thanks to solid holds in major territories. Russian grosses edged up 1% to $3.1 million in the pic's second frame, and Japanese biz bumped up 13% to $2 million in its third frame.
Sequel has cumed $100.6 million overseas. With openings still coming in France, Germany and the U.K., "Secrets" should top studio expectations and easily surpass the $174 million foreign cume for the original.
Fox's "Alvin" warbled its way to $15.6 million at 4,200 in 49 markets for a $65 million foreign cume as the comedy continued to generate respectable grosses, as opposed to its socko Stateside take. Top numbers came from the Oz launch with $3.5 million; declines in the U.K., Germany, France and Mexico were all under 30%.
Disney's "Enchanted" conjured $15 million at 5,370 in 43 markets with average holds of 25% and an international cume at $138 million -- $20 million ahead of the domestic total. The Brits remained charmed, with $3.1 million in the film's fourth frame, off 28% for a $28 million cume, while the third French frame slid just 14% to $2.7 million. Pic has outperformed studio forecasts and appears likely to top $200 million offshore.
Paramount's "Bee Movie" stayed in flight overseas with $13.7 million at 4,884 in 60 markets, pushing its international cume to $130 million. Best "Bee" number came from a No. 1 launch in South Korea with $2.7 million.
Fox's counterprogramming foray with "Aliens vs. Predator -- Requiem" continued to scare up respectable biz with $13 million at 3,000 in 33 markets for a $36 million foreign cume. Best numbers came from a $3.1 million French launch and a $1.7 million Mexican debut.
Fox's Russian production "Irony of Fate 2" remained a massive hit in that market with $9 million at 905, giving the romantic comedy a three-week cume of $23.8 million.
Awards season fare is continuing to expand steadily overseas. Universal's "American Gangster" gunned $5.8 million at 1,553 in 32 markets, including launches in Argentina and Denmark, for a foreign cume of $73 million; Denzel Washington vehicle heads into the U.K. next weekend.
- * (Film) American Gangster
- * (Tv) American Gangster
U launched its first foreign markets for "Charlie Wilson's War" with $500,000 at 70 via openings in Portugal, finishing second behind "I Am Legend," and a first-place debut in the United Arab Emirates. "War" goes to the U.K. next weekend.
16 comments - Add yours
#1
This is encouraging for another reason: they may decide to make the sequels appeal to an international audience. I.e., less “also known as a Golden Compass!”
...MAYBE…
Let’s hope.
# January 7, 2008 23:34 by namster
#2
that is a very impressive and satisfying.
# January 7, 2008 23:41 by Bekster
#3
Hopefully this bodes quite well for the sequels! *hopehopehope*
# January 7, 2008 23:46 by rainbowdarling
#4
It’s remarkable the disparity between U.S. and world box office totals for this film! Something is very wrong with the U.S. movie-going public…
New Line is probably kicking themselves for signing away all that money, but it may yet be enough to green light the other two films.
# January 8, 2008 00:19 by Green Man
#5 Whooo
Thank goodness its doing so well. Hopefully New Line will green light the next few films.
# January 8, 2008 01:33 by shilshadu
#6
wait so im confused. could someone clarify what it means when they say they sold off the foreign rights? what exactly does that mean and, does it mean that the money made from international sales is not going to new line? because if it does, i fail to see how new line would make any profit, and also fail to see how a sequel could be made then.
# January 8, 2008 03:15 by ROKYPA
#7
maybe the people with the foriegn rights can make the sequels?
# January 8, 2008 08:47 by ethdog
#8
Well, ROKYPA, we’re all confused regarding this topic. I mean, yeah, the film is doing fantastic world wide, but since an American company owns the rights and thus initializes the project, how much does New Line have to make in order to feel TGC was a worthwhile investment? They’ve broken even on their end, but the foreign markets are the ones raking in the dough. I dunno if New Line has already sold off the distribution rights to the potential sequels or not. Lively conversation is ongoing over in the “General Movie Discussion” forum on this very topic. I’m very flummoxed over the whole gross figure thing.
# January 8, 2008 08:52 by consciousparticles
#9 @ethdog
It’s not that simple, New Line still has the rights to produce the trilogy, they’ve simply sold the distribution right.
# January 8, 2008 14:08 by Lord Asriel
#10
I am pleased to hear that the movie has performed this well internationally. Hopefully these numbers are pleasing enough at New Line to prompt the executives to possibly consider permitting the two sequels.
# January 8, 2008 20:19 by cantado
#11
Green Man;
What is wrong with the American movie public is that we listen too much to “bad publicity” about the contents of children’s movies from religious groups, rather than judging a film for themselves.
I am certainly glad that I am not a parent with small children any longer. Of course, I would certainly NOT be swayed by negative reviews from the “religious” folks. I would have taken my daughter to see it during opening week!
But then, I taught my daughter to have an open mind - to realize that we all have beliefs that are relevant to us. and to not be intimidated if your beliefs are not the same as others - or to think that what you were taught as a child may not be what you believe as an adult.
# January 8, 2008 22:05 by vlmecc
#12 Green Man: addendum/correction
I meant what you were taught as a child does not have to be what you think or believe as an adult.
# January 8, 2008 22:07 by vlmecc
#13 directed to vlmecc
From a daughter’s perspective, my Mother took my cousin and I to see the movie (the two of us had read the books) and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she had liked the movie (more so than Harry Potter) and she is not one for fantasy!
I DO hope that it will work out for the sequels!
I’m wondering, would the purchasing of The Golden Compass book itself contribute to New Line’s profit?
# January 9, 2008 02:32 by Miss Bear
#14
Proves a point. Europeans have better taste than Americans ;-)
# January 9, 2008 15:54 by Pilgrim
#15 asdf
i know new line has lost quite a bit on the first firm, and may eventually break even, but new line might green light the other movies based on the fact if they retain international rights to the next two it will be an overly profitable venture.
peace suckazzz!
# January 10, 2008 06:16 by jai
#16 asdf
well, assuming my usual title of the first four letters of the middle row of the keyboard, as of the latest updates i’ve had the pleasure to view, golden compass has made $65 million american (fricking woefull) and the equivalent of 298 million dollars in overseas territories, leading to a total international gross of $364 million. If only new line had the foresight to put their credits on the line and retain international rights. If they decide not to make the other two films due to this factor, i hope a whole team got fired for this blunder and i hope their families will starve on the street, and meet a charitable family who are huge fans of his dark materials and they are too proud to accept help, so they starve to death.Not quite poetic justice, but harsh justice nonetheless.
I AM THE NEW MAGISTERIUM!
# January 10, 2008 06:42 by jai