‘Smile 2’ Grins Wide With $46M Global Start Amid Record-Breaking Overseas Debuts; ‘The Wild Robot’ Nears $200M WW – International Box Office
UPDATED: Here’s something we rarely see: It’s a dead heat for the launch of Paramount’s Smile 2 at the domestic and international box office with $23M apiece. That makes for a $46M global debut. Overseas, the sequel to 2022’s surprise hit opened in 62 markets with the horror audience out in full force.
On a like-for-like basis for the same group of markets, the offshore debut is 41% bigger than Smile’s opening weekend. What’s more, it’s the biggest Paramount horror opening in 13 markets, including Italy and Spain; and the biggest horror opening of 2024 in 13 markets, including France, Germany and Italy.
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Among the key results, the UK debuted to No. 2 with $2.6M at 607 locations. France, likewise opened at No. 2, taking $2.1M from 358 locations for the biggest horror opening of 2024.
Germany also scored the best horror start of the year with $2M at 446 locations. In Australia, the sequel opened at No. 1, grossing $1.3M from 285 locations.
Italy’s No. 2 start of $1.3M is the biggest ever Paramount horror opening in the market and the biggest horror opening of 2024.
Also setting records, Norway scooped the biggest ever Paramount horror opening in the market and the biggest horror opening of 2024; Poland set the best ever Paramount horror opening there. Switzerland’s No. 1 bow was the biggest ever for a Paramount horror and tops for 2024. Further best-for-Par and/or tops for 2024 include Denmark, Sweden, Greece and Finland.
Meanwhile, and in impressive continued play, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot added to its staggered overseas release with another 21 markets. The Chris Sanders-directed film is now out in a combined 76 markets which grossed $23.2M this session (down just 22% in the holdovers). The offshore total is now $94.3M, performing above The Bad Guys and Migration, and in-line with Trolls in the same markets (excluding China) at the same point.
The global gross is closing in on $200M with an estimated $196M through Sunday.
In the opening UK frame, Roz embraced $4.2M across 1,250 screens for a clear No.1. This includes $236K from three days of previews. The launch is on par with Trolls, Elemental and Boss Baby. Word of mouth is strong and school holidays start from next week. Mexico, Spain, Italy (+14%) and Saudi Arabia all had No. 1 status this session.
The Top 5 markets so far are: Mexico ($13.7M), Australia ($9.9M), Germany ($4.6M), France ($4.55M) and Spain ($4.4M). Still to release is Japan in February next year.
Elsewhere, Joker: Folie à Deux added $14.7M from 78 international markets this weekend. The overseas running total is now estimated at $135.5M with global at $192M through Sunday.
While the first movie never released in China, this one was approved and mustered $5.9M across the frame. WB is having much more success with its strategy of rereleasing all of the Harry Potter movies across several weeks. This session, The Chamber of Secrets was the No. 2 movie in the market.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (WB): $3.7M intl weekend (74 markets); $150.6M intl cume/$434.6M global
Transformers One (PAR): $2.6M intl weekend (70 markets); $62.4M intl cume/$119.1M global
Despicable Me 4 (UNI): $1.4M intl weekend (84 markets); $602.4M intl cume/$963.5M global
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