Pop & Rock: Mamma Mia! 2 Plays $42M On Offshore Jukebox, Skyscraper Tops China – International Box Office
Refresh for latest…: The international box office smorgasbord this weekend was led — outside China — by Universals new entry Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again which belted out $42.4M to top the 2008 movies start in 34 out of 41 launch markets. The sun-kissed summer sequel, directed by Ol Parker, was first in line at No. 1 in 24 openings. Combined with domestic, the global launch is $76.8M.
The tuneful offshore bow comes in 2nd overall with Universal/Legendarys Dwayne Johnson-starrer Skyscraper scaling $47.7M in China (via Legendary East) and $27.3M in 67 other overseas markets for a full international weekend of $75M. The movie, which had a disappointing start last session, got a rare slot inside the July Middle Kingdom blackout, opening Friday and coming in below Johnsons Rampage, but above Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. The international total on Skyscraper, including China, is $132.8M for $179.5M worldwide.
Pirouetting back to this weeks major opener, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again had its best debuts in the UK ($13.1M), Australia ($5M) and Germany ($4.44M). Working the home-field advantage, MM2 scored the biggest musical opening day/weekend of all time in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Hungary. It is also the top Universal opening day/weekend of all time in Norway, Finland and Iceland. There are several majors to come, including Japan and Korea which figured in the Top 5 last time around, while the stars are bright for leg-out potential.
Says Duncan Clark, Universals President of International Distribution, “What were seeing is the same magic we saw with Mamma Mia! 10 years ago. The filmmakers found a way to bring the original cast and music back to the big screen that felt fresh and unique, with some stellar young additions. The audience reactions from this weekend have been quite amazing and we believe this film will now play throughout the summer, especially among groups and repeat viewers.”
While it won the sequel battle Stateside, Sonys The Equalizer 2 only opened in a handful of overseas markets this weekend, but came in 30% higher than the original, grossing $3.3M in like-for-likes.
In holdovers, Sony Animations Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation cruised past $100M offshore and $200M worldwide while Incredibles 2 powered up in Korea as the highest Disney Animation/Pixar opening of all time. The overseas cume is approaching $400M with global now at $940.4M to put $1B in sight in the next week or so. Disney/Marvels Ant-Man And The Wasp continues to pace about 33% above the original as rollout continues.
Breakdowns on the films above and more are being updated below.
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MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN
With summer and school holidays in swing — and World Cup action now over — there are myriad offerings vying for attention at the international box office, most in various stages of release. Universals Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is the latest wide entry, although it has many majors still to come. This weekend, it slotted $42.4M into the offshore jukebox, 10 years since the first movie came out.
In 34 of 41 launch markets, it topped the previous film and scored No. 1s in 24. The earlier movie was something of a phenomenon and went on to gross $610M worldwide including $466M internationally. The stars are bright for Chers rendition of “Fernando,” with no major comps ahead in the same vein and group/repeat viewing expected.
In 2008, the Top 5 hubs were the UK, Germany, Japan, Korea and Sweden. The jukebox musical is inspired by the tunes of Swedish sensation ABBA, and Scandinavia had a strong showing for the sequel with the biggest musical opening day/weekend of all time in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Hungary. It is also the top Universal opening day/weekend of all time in Norway, Finland and Iceland. Elsewhere, MM2 had the 4th best Universal opening day of all time in the UK and New Zealand.
The UK bowed to $13.1M at 706 locations and the 2nd biggest musical opening weekend ever. Its tracking so far ahead of the previous movie as well as The Greatest Showman (that movie had serious legs) and Bridget Joness Baby. In Australia, it is also tracking ahead of those films and grossed $5M at 322. Germanys $4.4M at 793 is slightly above the first movie.
Other No. 1s include Sweden ($2.6M/235), Norway ($2M/180), Spain ($2M/387), the Netherlands ($1.8M/125), New Zealand ($1.14M/112) and Austria ($1.14M/90).
The IMAX portion of the weekend was $600K on 70 screens in 11 markets.
Publicity efforts included a special live airing of NBCs Today from London during the films junket on July 16, a global junket with talent and filmmakers, and late night talk show appearances from Cher, Lily James and Amanda Seyfried. Cher appeared on Graham Norton before the show went on summer hiatus, and the global premiere was held at the Apollo Hammersmith in London.
Key markets to come include France (July 25), Brazil (August 2), Korea (August 8), Mexico (August 17), Japan (August 24) and Italy (September 6). China, which did not release the original, has an August 3 date.
THE EQUALIZER 2
Denzel Washingtons first sequel is gunning out in staggered release, targeting just 11 markets this session. It will then sit back until August for the majority of overseas rollout, staying out of the line of fire of Mission: Impossible – Fallout which goes next weekend. The start is solid with $3.3M on 704 screens to outpace the original by 30% in like-for-likes and at todays rates. Australia launched at No. 2 with $2.2M, which is 31% ahead of The Equalizer.
That first film saw its biggest offshore grosses in the UK, Germany and France, but did only 47% of its business overseas. European exhibitors recently got an extended look at the Antoine Fuqua-helmed sequel during the CineEurope conference in June.
The next market to go is Spain on August 10, followed by France, Germany, Mexico and the UK in mid-August and further rollout through September and October.
HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
SKYSCRAPER
Universal/Legendarys Skyscraper had a soft start internationally last weekend, in most cases lower than recent Dwayne Johnson action comps. This weekend saw a boost from China where the Rawson Marshall Thurber-helmed pic had scored a prime July 20 release date smack in the middle of the blackout on Hollywood titles. That the film is backed by the Wanda-owned Legendary and takes place in Hong Kong were factors working in its favor to notch the slot and a great deal of screens. A solid $47.7M debut beat out local holdovers Dying To Survive (which is now at about $425M) and Hidden Man ($78M), and included $4.4M from 519 IMAX screens. The recoup from China is 25%.
The film is unlikely to maintain much momentum in the Middle Kingdom, however, with competition ahead from Tsui Harks Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings and comedy Hello Mr Billionaire.
Outside China, Universal added $27.3M in 67 markets (the total offshore weekend is $75M to lead all play). Openings at No. 1 included Colombia ($1.33M/195 locations), India ($1.3M/1,080), Peru ($877K/99) and Italy ($720K/305).
South East Asian markets held the No. 1 spot including Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia while Mexico was the top holdover hub and leads play outside the Middle Kingdom with a $7.5M cume.
The overseas total, including China, is now $132.8M for $179.5M worldwide.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION
Sony Pictures Animations threequel has cruised past the $100M offshore and $200M global box office buoys with a $37.7M international weekend on 14,100 screens in 51 markets. The overseas total is now $115.6M for $206.7M worldwide. There were 7 new markets this session, including Germany which opened to $5.4M.
Per Sony, the latest installment of the lucrative franchise is running 36% ahead of HT2 in the same markets at the same point of release. In total, the drop from last session was 34% with No. 1s holding in 17 hubs.
Latin America, where the Drac Pack was warmly welcomed last weekend, retained the top spot in 7 out of 11 markets. The regional cume is now $50.5M. Mexico led holds with $3.8M for a $16.7M cume while Brazil was down just 18% for $9.8M to date. Argentina rose 25% to top the lifetimes of both HT2 and Cars 3 with $6.9M.
Fast-burn Russia stayed at No. 1, dropping 42% for an $11.7M cume, and Spain dipped 33% for a $7.4M total thus far.
Upcoming major markets include France and the UK this week, followed by Korea and Italy in August.
INCREDIBLES 2
Disney/Pixars staggered release pattern landed Incredibles 2 in Korea this weekend, scoring the best Disney Animation/Pixar opening of all time with $8.6M ($10.4M including previews). Thats also the No. 3 animated opening in the market ever and exceeded the full run of the first Incredibles there. In Hong Kong, the other new bow, I2 was No. 1 with $3.3M for the 2nd best Disney Animation/Pixar launch and the No. 3 best animated debut.
In total, the weekend was worth $36.5M in 42 markets covering 75% of the international footprint. The overseas cume is $383.1M with $940.4M global. The Brad Bird sequel will cross $1B worldwide, its just a matter of time in the next week or so.
Holds continue to be superpowered including Argentina (+31%), France (-4%), Chile (-4%), Switzerland (-6%), Brazil (-15%), Colombia (-18%), New Zealand (-23%), Belgium (-24%), Hungary (-24%), Netherlands (-25%), Portugal (-31%) and the UK (-32%).
The film is the highest grossing animated release ever in India and Malaysia, and the No. 2 Disney Animation/Pixar release of all time in Australia, behind Finding Dory. Across South East Asia, its the top Disney Animation/Pixar title ever while its No. 2 across the Latin America region.
China is still the top market at $53.2M, followed by Mexico ($36.8M), Australia ($31.8M), Brazil ($29.2M) and the UK ($29M). On deck are Japan and Spain in early August followed by Italy and Germany in September.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP
Buzzing in about 56% of the overseas antennae print, Disney/Marvels Ant-Man And The Wasp has now grossed $188.9M internationally and $353.5M globally, pacing about 33% above the first film in the same markets and same point in the run. The weekend in 46 markets zapped another $21.6M including a $4.1M debut in France (which is still reveling in last Sundays World Cup win).
Strong holds this weekend include Colombia (-11%), Argentina (-17%), Sweden (-23%), Brazil (-26%), Spain (-35%), New Zealand (-35%) and Chile (-36%).
Korea leads all play at $40.6M (it was No. 2 there this frame behind Incredibles), followed by Mexico ($13.5M), Australia ($12.1M), Russia ($11.3M) and Brazil ($10.5M).
We still are waiting on a China date once the blackout is over. In the meantime, Germany zooms in next weekend followed by the UK, Italy and Japan in August.
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