Artnewspress : UPDATE, writethru: Universal/Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man made its first appearance at the international box office this weekend, scaring up $20.2M in 47 markets. Combined with the strong domestic start, the Leigh Whannell-directed pic debuted to $49.2M globally. In like-for-like offshore openings, the Elisabeth Moss-starrer is tracking in line with Lights Out, A Quiet Place and Get Out. It’s also running 19% above Blumhouse’s Happy Death Day.
Producer Jason Blum was out touring the movie with the team in the UK, France and Spain during mid-February, and the sightings saw good dividends. The top opening market on the $7M production (before P&A in what was a traditional campaign) was the UK at $2.86M from 581 locations, followed by France at $2.2M from 355 and Mexico at $1.85M from 929. Latin America typically leans into horror, though Invisible Man is playing more like a thriller — Brazil opened at No. 2 with $794K, well behind leader Sonic The Hedgehog, but Spain was a No. 1 start from 327 with $1.12M.
Further No. 1s were spotted in Australia, Korea (despite severe local turnstile impact from the coronavirus, which overall can’t be helping any film in offshore release right now), India and Vietnam. Russia and Japan are the next majors to come for the well-reviewed modern spin on Universal’s classic monster. The runway is clear for a couple of weeks until Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II starts making noise.
Paramount has bragging rights to the No. 1 movie at the international box office with Sonic The Hedgehog making it a hat trick, leading play for the third session in a row. Adding $26.8M in 62 markets, the little blue speedster has now cumed $137.2M overseas for $265.5M global. The UK leads all play at $22.3M.
Elsewhere, as we noted on Saturday, Sony’s Bad Boys For Life has crossed $400M global, now at $406M. Miramax’s The Gentlemen also hit a new milestone, passing $100M worldwide ($102M).
In general, the coronavirus spread continues to be a significant drag on international box office with China closed for the foreseeable future and markets like Korea, Italy and Japan also being impacted. Depending on how things go, France could be next. Estimates we are hearing indicate that the worldwide loss to the motion picture business amid the epidemic will pass $5B.
Next week sees the arrival of Disney/Pixar’s Onward in most offshore markets save Japan, Australia and Korea (the latter having been moved amid the spike in Covid-19 cases locally).
Breakdowns on this week’s films above and more have been updated below.
NEW
THE INVISIBLE MAN
A fresh take on Universal’s classic monster IP, The Invisible Man isn’t your grandfather’s monster movie. It’s
playing and is marketed like a thriller, marking a new direction for films spun out of Uni’s monster legacy. Blumhouse’s $7M production is starting out stealthily in offshore hubs, making $20.2M appear in the first 47 this weekend. That’s in line with such original stories as Lights Out, A Quiet Place and Get Out; it’s also 19% above Happy Death Day and 24% over Don’t Breathe. The global debut is $49.2M.
Invisible Man saw its best bow in the UK with $2.86M from 581 locations, which may end up being a No. 1 launch depending on where the actuals land. The weekend there is ahead of A Quiet Place and Annabelle, and in line with Get Out.
France debuted at No. 4 with $2.2M from 355, ahead of A Quiet Place and Lights Out. Mexico conjured a No. 2 start from 929 with $1.85M (over Get Out and Don’t Breathe), Australia saw No. 1 with $1.66M from 264 (on par with Halloween and A Quiet Place, and above Get Out) and Germany opened to No. 3 with $1.21M from 411 (ahead of A Quiet Place and more).
Other notable No. 1s were in Spain ($1.12M/327/on par with Get Out, above A Quiet Place) and particularly Korea ($1.08M/430). The latter is seeing impact from a wave of coronavirus cases and isn’t typically a “monster” market. But the intelligent thriller aspect of Invisible Man is the draw there. While individual market debuts may not be massive, a codicil overseas is the pall that the coronavirus is casting across all box office.
There are further Asian, Latin American and Euro markets to come including Russia and Japan.
HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Paramount’s speedy blue critter held the No. 1 spot at the international box office for the third weekend in a row. Adding $26.8M in 62 markets, including six new openings, the offshore total climbs to $137.2M in 76% of Sonic’s international footprint.
Debut markets this frame saw three No. 1s: Indonesia ($2M/393 locations), Poland ($1.1M/172) and Thailand ($248K/73).
The Top 5 markets to date are the UK ($22.3M), Mexico ($15.7M), France ($13.2M), Russia ($10M) and Brazil ($8.3M).
Japan is still to come, and, as with all other films, China’s date is still to be determined.
CALL OF THE WILD
Fox/Disney’s Call Of The Wild saw offshore audiences respond with another $11M from 50 material markets in the
sophomore session. The international cume is now $33.4M for $79.3M global.
The expensive picture that’s based on Jack London’s American story saw good holds in Europe, down 33% as a whole, but that’s coming off a soft debut. The Top 5 to date are France ($6M), UK ($3M), Mexico ($3M), Russia ($2.7M) and Spain ($1.9M).
Coming next are Hong Kong and Korea which are both facing coronavirus issues.
THE GENTLEMEN
Miramax’s Guy Ritchie-helmed The Gentlemen crossed $100M global this weekend, reaching $102M with a split of $35.2M domestic and $66.7M offshore.
There were 17 new markets this session, good for $8.5M. Notably, Germany logged $1M from 340 and Korea (again amid the coronavirus spike) took $330K from 525.
In Russia, Gentlemen is Ritchie’s second biggest film ever (behind Aladdin); the CIS markets as a whole are at $17.9M. The UK has grossed $15.6M while Australia has hit $10M and France $4.2M. Still to come are Italy in May and Japan in October.
DOLITTLE
Benefiting from school holidays in some markets, Universal’s pricey Dolittle is still talking to the animals with
a $6.4M weekend in 63 hubs. The offshore total is now $141.4M for $217.4M global. The frame’s hold was -44%.
Tops in continued play so far are the UK ($19.8M), France ($9M), Germany ($8M), Russia ($7.6M) and Spain ($6.5M).
Japan opens March 20, China is still TBD amid the coronavirus shutdown.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
Bad Boys For Life (SNY): $4.9M intl weekend (55 markets); $208M intl cume ($406M global)
Birds Of Prey (WB): $4.6M intl weekend (78 markets); $109.6M intl cume ($188.4M global)
Fantasy Island (SNY): $1.9M intl weekend (41 markets); $16.4M intl cume ($40.5M global)
Little Women (SNY): $1.8M intl weekend (53 markets); $95.4M intl cume ($203M global)
Richard Jewell (WB): $1.8M intl weekend (23 markets); $19.7M intl cume ($42.1M global)
Emma (UNI): $1.5M intl weekend (17 markets); $11.4M intl cume ($12.9M global)
Just Mercy (WB): $1.4M intl weekend (41 markets); $12.7M intl cume ($48.4M global)
Dark Waters (AMB): $1.1M intl weekend (4 markets); $2.6M intl cume
