After debuting early last weekend, Universal’s The Fall Guy expanded to 78 overseas markets during its sophomore session, adding $25.4M for a running total of $36.9M at the international box office. That’s in line with Bullet Train and above The Lost City at the same point in release. Globally, the David Leitch-directed action romance is at $65.4M.
This is a fun picture with positive scores and exits so there’s hope for some legs here and playability throughout upcoming holidays. Still, an expensive movie, it came in slightly below projections domestically.
Internationally, the UK was a No. 1 debut with a strong $4.4M from 1,400 screens. Odeon was the top-performing circuit, and Everyman registered a 9% share, 3.1 points higher than their average for the year. Performance across 51 IMAX screens made up 7.6% of the total. The weekend result is well above Bullet Train and The Lost City. Monday is a holiday.
Mexico opened to $2.5M at No. 2 across 1,607 screens. The Fall Guy performed best in high-attendance and middle-to-high income theaters from main and second tier cities, with strong indexing from VIP sites at 18.1% of admissions.
France debuted with $2.3M, ranking No.2 in the market behind local breakout Un P’tit Truc en Plus. The opening, excluding previews, is above The Lost City. Word of mouth is positive with a 3.8 from AlloCiné audiences. There are staggered school holidays afoot and next week includes a five-day weekend.
Germany was a No. 1 launch with $1.9M and amid chaotic weather. Despite the rough conditions, the weekend result excluding previews is in line with The Lost City and Bullet Train. Reactions and word of mouth are positive.
Italy opened with $1.4M at No.2 in the market; a strong run is expected. Korea started with $1.1M, ranking No. 3 behind local blockbuster The Roundup: Punishment and Kung Fu Panda 4. Sunday evening was boosted by the national holiday on Monday, with a view on a good run ahead. The weekend, excluding previews, is in line with Bullet Train, and well above The Lost City.
In Australia, the hold was -35% with another No. 1 while Netherlands was down just 26% from opening last session.
The Top 5 markets to date are Australia ($4.9M), UK ($4.4M), Mexico ($2.5M), France ($2.3M) and Spain ($2.3M).
The IMAX global cume is $5.5M. China releases May 17 and Japan on August 16.
Sony/Alcon Entertainment’s The Garfield Movie pounced on a $22M start overseas, getting out ahead of domestic in 18 markets. This is just 35% of the international paw print. The lasagna-loving feline is currently tracking 76% bigger than DC League of Super Pets, 41% higher than Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and on par with The Secret Life of Pets 2 for the same group of markets at current exchange rates.
Mexico roared to a six-day gross of $8.4M, followed by Spain with $3.2M over five days (the market’s biggest animated launch since Super Mario last year), Brazil at $2.2M, Italy with $1.6M and Peru at $1.3M.
With the bulk of overseas markets still to release, Garfield, voiced by Chris Pratt, will be padding into cinemas through August.
In holdover play, Warner Bros/Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire added another $9.8M in 78 markets, another solid 40% drop and bringing the offshore cume to $358.8M. Worldwide, the running total is $546.9M. In the second frame in Japan, the monsters slid just 34% for a cume to date of $7.5M. Here are the Top 5 markets through Sunday: China ($131.3M), Mexico ($33.2M), UK ($17.5M), India ($15.2M) and Australia ($12M).
After crossing $500M global last weekend, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 pocketed another $7.7M for a running overseas cume of $331.7M. The performance excluding China is in line with Zootopia and above HTTYD3 and KFP2 at the same point. The international box office has also topped KFP3 and Sing 2 as well as Ice Age: Collision Course. Worldwide, the total so far is $520M.
Notably, China enjoyed 36% uplift in weekend 7, boosted by the Labor Day national holidays that ran from Wednesday to Sunday. With $50.2M as it heads into further extended play that will stretch to June 21, the fourquel has topped the market lifetimes of Incredibles 2, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Despicable Me 2, Frozen, Finding Dory, Sing, Toy Story 4, Moana and Minions: The Rise of Gru. The current performance is in line with HTTYD3 at the same point. Top 5 markets to date are China ($50.2M), Mexico ($35.8M), UK ($25.4M), Germany ($16.2M) and France ($15.4M).
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers scored another $7.5M for a great 24% dip in the holdover markets. The international cume is now $22.8M for $52.2M global. The Amazon MGM Studios pic, released by Warner Bros overseas, debuted in Netherlands this session, serving up $485K on 125 screens. This is the best start for the director in the market and is tracking ahead of Past Lives (+53%), Air (+77%), Licorice Pizza (+194%), King Richard (+203%) and Battle of the Sexes (+619%). Japan is set to release on June 7th.
Here are the Top 5 to date: UK ($4.4M), Italy ($3.3M), France ($2.3M), Australia ($2M) and Mexico ($1.6M).
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was released domestically and in 30 overseas markets this weekend. Combined, they grossed $14.5M worldwide. Of that, $6.4M is from international. The young Anakin Skywalker sped to No. 2 in the UK and Germany most notably. There were also Star Wars marathons over the weekend (which included May the Fourth) in Australia and France. In Japan, most shows at key theaters in the Tokyo metro areas were full houses.
In local play, Formed Police Unit ($56.3M) led the Labor Day holiday frame in China, followed by The Last Frenzy ($54.4M) and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In ($46.5M).
Korea’s smash The Roundup: Punishment has now reached $55.8M in the market.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
*Tarot (SNY): $3.7M intl weekend (26 markets); $3.7M intl cume/$10.4M global
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (SNY): $3M intl weekend (62 markets); $85.2M intl cume/$195.1M global
Dune: Part Two (WB): $1.5M intl weekend (62 markets); $426.9M intl cume/$708.3M global
Abigail (UNI): $1.1M intl weekend (66 markets); $12M intl cume/$34.7M global
Spy x Family Code: White (SNY/CR): $733K intl weekend (32 markets); $6.6M intl SNY cume/$14.4M global
*Denotes new