‘Bourne’ Back At #1 & ‘Ice Age’ Skates To $300M+, Both With China Assist; ‘Pets’ Passes $700M WW – Intl Box Office

UPDATE, WRITETHRU (with actuals): Summer is coming to an end in many markets around the world, but that didn’t put a massive damper on the box office weekend internationally. Across the Top 10 titles, this frame saw a 46% increase versus last year, buoyed by the performances of Universal’s Jason Bourne and Fox’s Ice Age: Collision Course out of China.

Bourne rode back to the top of the international box office this weekend, coming off of a $49.3M start in China which broke records for the franchise there. In total, JB revved up a $56.2M weekend in 62 markets to take the offshore total to $197.7M. That pushes it past The Bourne Legacy and puts it just under $17M shy of The Bourne Ultimatum‘s overseas record for the series. It will cross that this week. The global tally is $347M.

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China grosses were also key this frame to Ice Age 5 which captured $42.4M worth of acorns in the market and logged its biggest opening weekend in 2016 for a non-local animated title. At No. 2 for the international weekend overall, the frame was $49M in 37 markets. The overseas nut is $305.5M.

Bourne and Ice Age were both released on August 23 in China and widely outperformed holdovers. It’s been a soggy season at Middle Kingdom turnstiles, but the market saw the clouds part to a degree — at least as far as Hollywood is concerned — with both Bourne and IA5‘s local perfs accounting for a little over 48% of the full Top 10 international grouping this frame. By comparison, on the same weekend last year, Chinese receipts repped about 41% of the Top 10, but included Terminator Genisys’ second session and the debuts of two local films. No Chinese movies made the cut this time around.

Elsewhere, last weekend’s champ, Illumination/Universal’s The Secret Life Of Pets, lapped up $24.9M in 57 territories to lift the offshore kitty to $371.6M. The dog and cat and bunny (and more) tale has crossed $700M worldwide, collaring $725M.

Warner Bros’ Suicide Squad slayed another $20.1M in its 4th frame, lifting the supervillains to $353.7M overseas and $636M global. Also notable from WB, Lights Out crossed $60M offshore after a $9.9M weekend while Paramount’s Ben-Hur and STX’s Bad Moms each bagged $6.3M.

This was largely a holdover/expansion session. There were no major studio wide releases, although Sony’s Don’t Breathe began its offshore career in seven markets with $1.9M, and Jason Statham-starrer Mechanic: Resurrection hit about 20 hubs. The weekend on that film falls at $6.1M internationally (we do not have individual territory reports).

Next weekend, we’ll keep an eye on Star Trek Beyond which beams into China on September 2 and has local investment from Alibaba Pictures and Huahua Media.

Breakdowns on this weekend’s films above and more have been updated below.

NEW
DON’T BREATHE

Sony Screen Gems/Stage 6’s big domestic opener began a limited rollout internationally this weekend with $1.9M on 1,500 screens in seven markets. Russia is the top debut with $915K from 1,014 screens — double the opening of The Purge: Election Year and 28% ahead of Unfriended. Malaysia doubled that film’s launch with $420K on 150 screens. In Singapore, the top new release delivered $200K from 28 screens, on par with Unfriended.

This has been a strong summer for horror pics, and Evil Dead remake helmer Fede Alvarez’ latest should carry that into the fall. The well-reviewed thrifty thriller next releases in Australia and Spain, followed by Brazil, Germany, Italy, the UK and Mexico in September. France and Korea will have to hold their breath until October.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
JASON BOURNE
After logging the biggest international opening day for the franchise as it began offshore rollout in late July – and the best offshore weekend launch ever in the series – Jason Bourne is poised to overtake the lifetime of the series’ top performer overseas, The Bourne Ultimatum, this week. That film grossed about $216M offshore in 2007. That’s roughly $178M in today’s dollars. The current offshore cume on JB — which reteams director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon — is $197.7M. Domestic is $149.3M and the worldwide gross is $347M.

Each of the previous pics starring Damon drew higher numbers domestically versus international. The Bourne Legacy, which went a Damon-less route in 2012, is the only one in the series to have made more overseas. That was partly down to China which threw off a $34M take to help pad a $164M offshore cume against the franchise-low domestic haul of $113M.

Jason Bourne arrived in China on Tuesday this week (August 23) and opened to a franchise best before going on to take $49.3M for the frame. That surpasses the lifetimes of all films in the franchise. The start in a market that has lost a lot of steam this summer is muscular and essentially ties JB’s first international weekend of $50.7M in 48 markets.

The full weekend frame this time was $56.2M in 62. Bourne also opened in Mexico to $1.5M and No. 1; the biggest in the franchise. France is the top hold with a 19-day total of $8.4M. Outside China, the best plays are the UK ($27.6M), Korea ($19.1M), Australia ($14.9M), France and Germany ($6.8M). There are four more territories to release: Greece, Italy and Russia on September 1, and Japan on October 7.

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE

Fox’s fifth film in the franchise was also new in China this frame, trapping $42.5M there for a No. 2 start behind Bourne. The debut makes it the top non-local animated opening in the Middle Kingdom this year. Continental Drift in 2012 went on to a $68M gross there. The full weekend was $49M in 37 markets with Italy also a new play. Scrat, Manny, Sid and Diego were No. 1 there with $4.5M including previews. Germany and France continue to play strongly with cumes of $23.8M and $22.2M, respectively. The international total is $305.5M. The film has now released in all overseas markets.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

Universal/Illumination’s animated quest clawed away at another $24.9M in 57 territories to bring the international total to $371.6M. The pack now has $724.9M in worldwide kibbles. Brazil was a new opening, at No. 1 with $4.4M which is the biggest August launch weekend for a toon ever. Indonesia ($1.1M) and the Philippines ($1M) also bowed in first place. After a Duke-sized opening last session, Russia is the best hold with $4.4M in the frame for a $24.4M 11-day total. In Japan, Pets is the No. 1 non-local pic for the 3rd consecutive week and has a total $31.1M. There are still seven markets to go, including Italy which opens in October. Venice Film Festival attendees will be treated to a premiere screening when Illumination chief Chris Meledandri is honored on the Lido September 5.

SUICIDE SQUAD

Warner Bros’ supervillain mashup grossed another $20.1M this weekend on 9,680 screens in 65 territories. The David Ayer-directed gang now has an overseas total of $353.7M. In Australia, the Squad has now topped DC cousin Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice with $23.1M. Germany was the top hold, still at No. 1 with $2.4M on 618 screens. The cume there is $11.2M. In its 3rd weekend in Italy, it landed at No. 2 and has a $10.7M total to date. The UK remains the top market at $40M. Japan is still on deck for September 10.

LIGHTS OUT

New Line and Warner Bros’ horror pic turned up the heat this frame taking $9.9M from 3,466 screens in 55 territories. That flicks the overseas cume across $60M to $60.5M. The best start was Korea where it placed a strong No. 2 behind local holdover Tunnel with $3.9M from 661 screens, and ahead of another local hold as well as newcomer Ghostbusters. The results were double Insidious 2 and 34% ahead of Annabelle. David F Sandberg’s pic also bowed in France with $1.6M on 190 screens and during a heatwave. It topped Insidious 2 by 42% and The Purge: Anarchy by 18%. The film continued play in the UK with a $3.3M total after two weekends; likewise Spain is at $3M after two and Brazil dipped 30% in the sophomore session for a total $1.9M. Mexico leads at $5.5M.

BEN-HUR

In its second race around the coliseum, Paramount and MGM’s redo laced up another $6.3M in 35 markets. There were 12 openings on the Timur Bekmambetov-helmed pic which is rolling out through September. The international cume is now $21.8M. The top opening was Australia with $789K at 226 locations and a No. 4 start. Argentina and the Netherlands both gave Ben-Hur No. 2 launches with $419K and $408K, respectively. Brazil and Mexico, which are among markets where the genre tends to do best, were the top holdovers this weekend with $1.4M and $1.1M each. Brazil’s total is $4.4M after 11 days; Mexico’s is $4.9M. There are several majors to come including Germany and Spain this week, followed by France, Russia, the UK, Korea and Italy.

BAD MOMS

The STX comedy went for a stroll in 13 additional markets this frame including the UK, Mexico and New Zealand. The weekend was good for $6.3M at over 3,300 locations in 46 total. The offshore cume has reached $28.8M for a worldwide tally of $124. 1M. The UK was the top start for Mila Kunis and crew with $1.87M from 464 dates. The bow is on par with Sex Tape and 53% over Trainwreck. Mexico opened No. 5 with $853K, 43% higher than How To Be Single. New Zealand was a No. 1 launch with $402K, also topping comps. In its 3rd weekend in Australia, the Moms overtook Suicide Squad for the No. 1 slot, dropping 19% from last session and with a cume of $8.13M.

FINDING

Dory swam to Scandinavia this weekend, adding $7.5M in 19 total territories for an international cume of $451.2M. There were No. 1 bows in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Sweden ($1.4M) leapt out of the water, opening 52% bigger than Secret Life Of Pets and 32% over Inside Out. In the UK, Dory kept her hold on No. 1 spot in her 5th session. Dory is the top animated release of 2016 in the market with a total $46.8M. Japan continues to lead at $62.2M. Italy and Germany are coming up in September.

THE SHALLOWS
Blake Lively got stranded in 12 new markets this weekend including a handful of majors. The Sony shark tale bit into $6.1M from over 3,200 screens in 59 total. The international cume has now reached $38.5M. Italy ($890K) was the top start followed by Brazil ($685K) and Germany ($570K) whose debut was 23% over Sony’s comp Into The Storm. The survival story fins it over to China on September 9.

WAR DOGS

Warner Bros’ Todd Phillips-directed comedy contracted $5.5M on 3,401 screens in 41 markets. After the sophomore session, the international total is $15.2M. The UK opening was on par with Argo at $1.3M on 486 screens. Russia has a cume of $3.5M after two weekends and Australia held with $665K to take the total to $2.1M. The Jonah Hill/Miles Teller-starrer heads to Mexico, Brazil, Spain, France, Italy and Germany throughout September.

STAR TREK BEYOND

A week before it beams up in China, Paramount/Skydance’s latest in the franchise added $4.7M this frame. The overseas cume is now $92.1M in 51 overseas plays. In a competitive Korea, the total is $8.1M after two sessions. Also in their 2nd frames, France has grossed $4M and Spain is at $2M. Along with China, Brazil opens next frame, followed by Mexico on September 9 and Japan on October 21.

GHOSTBUSTERS
With a $4.6M weekend, the international cume on Sony’s update is $92.5M. Korea was the major opener this weekend, landing at No. 4 with $1.8M on 490 screens. The Japan hold puts it down only 39% for a cume of $8M.

PETE’S DRAGON
The latest Disney animation took in $2.9M in 23 territories this weekend, including Germany which opened to $300K. Offshore, the cume is $21.9M. The UK leads overseas with a $4.3M cume. The next major markets are Australia and Mexico in mid-September, along with Brazil and Korea at the end of the month.

THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR
Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes’ third entry in the franchise has now passed the lifetime offshore box office of the original film in the franchise, The Purge. The international total is $26.6M after a $2.4M weekend in what’s been a strong summer for horror. The worldwide cume is $105.6M on the Universal release. The UK ($1.1M), Colombia ($215K) and Chile ($111K) were all new. Mexico has a 10-day total of $3M. Next up in majors is Germany on September 15.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS

Donatello and pals dived into Japan this weekend, their final market. The sequel grossed $1.6M there from 307 locations with a total $1.8M from seven international hubs. The overseas cume is $160.5M on the Paramount pic.

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
New Line and Universal’s buddy comedy Rock-ed up in its final four markets this frame. A $1.7M weekend in a total 25 takes the offshore cume to $85.2M. France led new plays with $1.2M and ahead of comps including 21 Jump Street and 2 Guns.

SAUSAGE PARTY
Ranked No. 1 in Israel for the 3rd consecutive weekend and showing strong holds elsewhere, Sony’s Seth Rogen comedy has chomped down on a total $8.7M overseas. This weekend filled the taco with $1.6M in 16 markets. Australia saw a 29% dip for a local cume of $5.3M and Israel has now grossed $1.3M. The UK gets to the check-out counter on Friday with many majors still to come.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

From Focus Features and Laika, the well-reviewed animation is spread over the next few months, this weekend adding $1.4M in 15 territories. After two frames the total is $2.7M. There were seven openers in the session including Spain which led with $368K. Malaysia gave Laika its best start ever with $137K. In Australia, the 11-day cume is $981K. Next weekend adds Argentina and eight other markets.

MISC UPDATED CUMES
The BFG (DIS): $1.8M intl weekend; $41.8M intl cume
The Jungle Book (DIS): $1.3M intl weekend; $597.6M intl cume ($959.8M WW)
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (FOX): $1.1M intl weekend; $21M intl cume
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (FOX): $550K intl weekend; $30.1M intl cume