‘Fantastic Beasts’ Bests $600M WW; ‘Moana’ Mints $180M; ‘Doctor Strange’ Ices ‘Deadpool’, ‘Iron Man 2’ – Intl Box Office

TUESDAY AM UPDATE, Writethru with actuals: Scoring a hat trick at the international box office, Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them led for the 3rd frame in a row, whipping past new benchmarks this session. Newt Scamander and his errant creatures grabbed another $61.4M in 67 markets, up $1M in the Sunday finals, to take the offshore total to $424.4M. Worldwide, the Beasts have amassed $608M on their way to $700M+. There’s still a solid week ahead before the spinoff of another multi-billion-dollar franchise swoops into play when Disney unveils Lucasfilm’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story beginning December 14 overseas.

Rogue One won’t get to China until 2017 (date TBD) and in the meantime, Fantastic Beasts was tops for the studios there this frame, lifting to a Niff-ty $72.3M. That now bests Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows 2 — the biggest Wizarding World movie ever in the market — as well as comps Maleficent and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (it’s closing in on Desolation Of Smaug).

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Dominating China, however, was Japanese juggernaut Your Name which brought a nice $41M jolt this weekend and landed No. 2 on the international chart. (Conversely, Beasts led Japan for the 2nd frame in a row with a tiny 18% dip in the slow-burn market where Potter pics have been huge.) In 3rd is Disney’s Moana with a $33.7M sophomore session, up $1.7M from Sunday’s estimate, for $59.7M after two overseas frames and as Maui baits the hook for the holidays.

Overall, the weekend was even with last frame across the Top 10 titles, and a solid 36% bigger than this time in 2015 when The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Spectre and The Good Dinosaur roamed the Earth.

Looking ahead, next weekend sees a whole slew of new titles flood into China which has kiboshed the typically stringent — if unofficial — December blackout rule this year. Among them, Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge and Warner Bros’ Sully (which crossed $75M intl this weekend) will find passage there. Particularly intriguing among local titles is Suddenly Seventeen, the feature directorial debut of Zhang Yimou’s daughter Zhang Mo. A romance/fantasy pic, it stars Ni Ni and bows just one week before dad’s The Great Wall makes what is anticipated to be a debut that might just be visible from space.

Also of significance, La La Land sashays into Korea. Making that the first major territory to bow offshore on the awards-season darling is a savvy move — audiences there are expected to swoon. Elsewhere, Arrival sets up base in France and, in another register, Office Christmas Party is looking to make a dash for some holiday cash in wide play. The Paramount release will be the first comedy we’ve had in a while at the international box office.

See below the original post for updated breakdowns on all films reporting; actuals updated throughout.

PREVIOUS, 9:22 AM PT: Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them and Disney’s Moana led the studio wave at the international box office this weekend as they entered their 3rd and 2nd frames, respectively. Newt Scamander and his menagerie plucked up another $61.4M in 67 markets to take the offshore total across the $400M mark to $424.4M. Globally, the Beasts have amassed $608M on their way to $700M+. China leads offshore play at $72.3M with the UK, Germany, France and Italy now claiming the David Yates-helmed pic as WB’s biggest of 2016.

Disney’s plucky Pacific Islander, meanwhile, has lifted the global cume to $179.6M after a $33.7M overseas weekend with notable openings in Russia, France and more. Strong word of mouth will steer Moana through the holiday period as she plants a pre-Christmas flag in most key majors.

France was a standout this frame with $6.4M including previews to equal Frozen (which had the benefit of a holiday Wednesday whereas Moana did not). There are some choppy waters in China which Moana nevertheless navigated well. The environment is very competitive right now with a number of Hollywood movies and in particular the arrival of animated Japanese smash Your Name this frame. That film flew to No. 1 and grossed upwards of $40M in its Middle Kingdom debut, adding to the more than $170M it’s already made in Japan and knocking Fantastic Beasts down a peg. Moana dipped 55% in the China session, but saw F-S-S increases and has cumed $21.3M to date there, besting Inside Out.

The Mouse has plenty to be mirthful about with domestic box office hitting a record $2,491.4M through Sunday for a new industry milestone. Plus, the studio has crossed $4B in international box office ($4.08B) for the first time ever. Globally, the year-to-date box office is $6.571B — before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story begins international rollout on December 14.

What’s more, with $420.1M overseas, Doctor Strange has now passed Deadpool offshore. Pocketing $635.4M globally, the Sorcerer Supreme also zoomed past Iron Man 2 this week. The next heroes to fall will be Suicide Squad. It bears noting that neither Deadpool nor Suicide opened in China where Doc S has amassed $110.3M.

Elsewhere, WB’s Sully crossed $75M international thanks to strong landings in France and Italy; and Par’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is reaching for $100M overseas with $97.4M to date after a $3M bow in Korea.

Breakdowns on the above and more have been updated below:

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

JK Rowling’s wizarding world expansion continued its international voyage this weekend with another $61.4M on approximately 23,000 screens in 67 markets for a 54% drop from the sophomore session. The overseas cume is now $424.4M. All markets are open with China leading at $72.3M after adding $15.4M this frame. The film dipped to No. 2 in the Middle Kingdom with play on 4,350 screens in the second week as smash Japanese anime Your Name made its debut at No. 1. Conversely, in Japan, Fantastic Beasts had a slight 18% drop to hold No. 1 with another $6M on 970 screens for a $28.3M cume. Slow-burn Japan has previously jockeyed with the UK to be the top ex-North America market on the Harry Potter movies.

The UK held the No. 1 slot for the third week in a row with $46.3M to date and becoming Warner’s biggest title of 2016 in the market. The film bested the launch of Moana this week. Korea is the next best at $30.2M. In that market, last week’s debut title, My Annoying Brother, is at No. 1 followed by new entry Missing with Beasts in 3rd.

In other notables, Germany has grossed $23.7M and held No. 1 for the 3rd consecutive weekend. Beasts is the top movie of 2016 there for WB. Same goes for France ($21.6M) and Italy ($14.2M). Cumes elsewhere include $19.8M in Russia; $17.4M in Australia; $14.9M in Brazil; $13.1M in Mexico and $10.2M in Spain.

In IMAX, Newt Scamander’s wand has whipped up $47.4M in worldwide box office. Overseas, the total is $28.6M ($10.1M in China).

MOANA

Riding a $33.7M weekend wave in 30 markets, Disney’s Polynesian princess has tallied $59.7M overseas to date after two frames. The global take is $179.6M. International saw strong launches in France, Russia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Moana opened at No. 2 in the UK, behind the 3rd frame of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. The $2.7M start is well below that of comp Frozen from 2013. That film wasn’t staring down an inherently British confection at the time, and Moana was not expected to top the Beasts in its opening. While the number is low, reviews are good and the hope is the film is now teed up for the holiday period. The next big animated show to hit the UK is Sing, but the curtain doesn’t rise on that pic until late January.

France was the big bow with a No. 1 at $5.2M ($6.4M including previews), which is equal to Frozen. That film benefited from a Wednesday holiday whereas Moana did not. Moana also topped Russia with $5.1M. That’s the 4th best Disney Animation or Pixar opening ever. Mexico launched at No. 1 with $2.7M, just 14% behind Frozen. Spain was also No. 1 with $2M for a start that was 39% ahead of Big Hero 6.

Elsewhere in Europe, Moana opened 21% ahead of Frozen in Belgium and 15% behind that film in the Netherlands. In French-speaking Switzerland, the seafarer landed 17% behind Anna and Elsa.

In holds, China posted $5.5M for a 55% drop from last week’s launch. The market is crowded with Hollywood and local fare as well as the debut of Japanese smash Your Name. The cume there is not exactly a boatload at $21.3M, but has topped Inside Out. Also, its daily grosses, according to unofficial figures, rose from Friday-Sunday. China is currently the lead market, followed by France, Russia, Mexico and the UK.

Rollout for the family pic continues notably in Germany and Italy on December 22. Brazil, Korea and Japan will be unwrapped next year.

UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS

After beginning offshore rollout last week in Russia, the 5th installment in the Underworld franchise added another 51 markets for a $16.3M frame on 8,700 screens. Per Sony Pictures International Releasing, for the same group of opening markets at current rates, this latest chapter is 10% behind the biggest of the series, Underworld 4 Awakening, and 95% bigger than Underworld 3: Rise Of The Lycans.

The international cume is $18.9M on the Kate Beckinsale-starrer. She’s been traveling with the film, heading to Berlin, Moscow and Mexico City.

In 10 Asian markets, the vampire death dealer grossed $5.8M to set a franchise record as the biggest opening in the region. Indonesia bowed at No. 1 with $1.3M from 200 screens. Malaysia was also tops with $915K from 300 screens. The film, directed by Anna Foerster, also ranked No. 1 in Singapore, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Latin America’s bucket of markets also set a new record with Brazil leading at $1.4M on 639 screens, followed by Mexico at $1.3M on 1,233. Australia debuted to $1.2M on 330. And, Russia added $785K from 1,338 in the sophomore session for a $3.3M cume. Up in January are Spain and the UK.

ALLIED

Paramount’s World War II drama added $12.1M in 36 markets this weekend, taking the international cume to $24.8M. The Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard film debuted in China on November 30 and landed $3.6M in a crowded frame. Allied had marketing support locally from Huahua Media and also marked the first time that Pitt has made a promotional run to the Middle Kingdom since 7 Years In Tibet stirred up controversy there. The start in China is 63% bigger than Imitation Game, per Par.

Russia had a No. 2 bow with $1.7M at 794 cinemas, also besting Par’s WWII comps Bridge Of Spies (+127%) and Imitation Game (+61%). Portugal similarly topped comps with a No. 2 start of $381K at 64 locations.

On Cotillard’s home turf, Allied made $1.5M in the 2nd frame for a France gross of $4.7M to lead the pack. The UK has cumed $3.6M; Spain is at $2.5M after 10 days and Belgium has landed $500K. Germany and Australia are on deck later this month.

SULLY

Landing notably in France, Italy and the UK, Clint Eastwood’s Miracle on the Hudson drama circled another $11.3M this weekend to lift the international cume to $76M. Eastwood is particularly beloved in Italy where American Sniper was a massive hit last year. Sully topped all of the director’s films in the market at open, save that one, with a No. 1 of $2.3M on 536 screens. In France, Sully scored $2.9M on 480 screens at No. 3 to come in ahead of recent Tom Hanks-starrers Bridge Of Spies (+76%) and Captain Phillips (+111%). The Warner Bros pic also outflew Flight by 84%. In the UK, the $2.2M maiden voyage landed No. 3 on par with Bridge Of Spies.

Other openings included Mexico at $1M on 769 screens as the 2nd best opening ever for Eastwood behind Sniper. Germany pulled in $659K at No. 5. The top territories to date are Japan ($13.2M), Australia ($9.9M), Korea ($4.7M), Spain ($4.1M) and the UAE ($3.5M).

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

Tim Burton’s fantasy traveled to China this weekend with a $10.4M start on 6,108 screens. The No. 3 slot came in behind Your Name and Fantastic Beasts and was 23% bigger than Oz: The Great And Powerful in that market. Burton promoted the Fox film locally in early November (see photo right).

In total, the weekend was $10.5M in 13 markets to bring the offshore cume to $185.5M after international rollout began in late September. Italy and Japan are still on deck.

TROLLS
Another $7.48M this frame lifts DreamWorks Animation’s Poppy and Branch to $165.3M internationally. Australia and New Zealand had good starts with $3.17M and $430K, respectively, each for a No. 2 slot. The 7th session on the Fox release in Germany saw a drop of just 13% for a total $8.5M. The UK leads at $28M with France currently at $18.2M.

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK

Tom Cruise hoofed it to Korea this frame for a $3M start in a cluttered field. Playing at 370 locations, the Paramount sequel’s launch was No. 4 and the 2nd best new import of the session. The total weekend was $5.9M in 41 markets as Reacher looks to reach the century mark with a current $97.4M at the international box office. Korea was the final market while key cumes include Japan at $7.4M off $237K in the 4th frame. In Venezuela, Reacher added $765K for $4M after two weekends.

DOCTOR STRANGE
In the 6th offshore frame, Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange conjured $4M in 51 markets. The international cume is $420.1M, putting him ahead of Deadpool and within grasp of Suicide Squad. Globally, DS’ $635.4M now tops Iron Man 2. Japan is still in the waiting room for January 27. The Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer has helped Disney to a domestic box office industry record and past the $4B offshore mark for the first time ever. The lead market (where neither Deadpool nor Suicide Squad played) is China with $110.3M. Korea follows at $41.3M with the UK ($27.9M), Russia ($22.2M) and Brazil ($21.7M) rounding out the Top 5.

ARRIVAL

After crossing $100M in worldwide box office earlier this week, Denis Villeneuve’s lyrical sci-fi pic added $3.6M at the weekend in 33 Sony markets. The international SPRI cume is now $21.5M.

The Germany hold was strong, down 20% from open for a $2.8M cume. In Spain, the drop was 28% after three frames for a $3.1M total; and Brazil also dipped 28% in the second session for $1.6M to date. Still to land in December is France, followed by Italy in January and Korea in February.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
The other Amy Adams-starrer in overseas play, Focus’ Tom Ford-helmed thriller continues stylishly dropping into offshore markets with seven more added this frame for a current 21 total. The weekend estimate is $1.2M for an overseas cume of $8.4M and a worldwide gross of $11.1M to date. This is a slow burn rollout which carries on through the next several months. In this week’s chapter, Spain opened to $308K at 172 locations and the Netherlands bowed No. 3 with a great $203K at 41.

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTEWORTHY
The Girl On The Train (UNI): $413K intl weekend (13 markets); $15.4M intl cume (UNI only), $170.5M WW (all distribs combined)
Keeping Up With The Joneses (FOX): $245K intl weekend (17 markets); $13.9M intl cume

LOCAL-LANGUAGE

New Chinese entry Sword Master cut a $7.3M swath at the local box office. Produced by Tsui Hark, the 3D martial arts epic follows an elite swordsman who is haunted by his skill, and a challenger who aims to take his place at all costs. Last week’s Korea debut, My Annoying Brother, topped the box office there with $4.63M for $14.4M to date, per local reporting. This week’s new entry, Missing, centers on a woman in a battle for custody whose child mysteriously disappears. The start was good for No. 2 in Korea at $4.03M.

After a strong start last frame, Russian war drama 28 Panfilovtsev is holding at No. 5 for Universal Pictures International. Putting another $1.2M in the tank, the total is $4.7M (300M rubles) making it one of the top local films ever in the genre. Universal’s Spanish drama La Reina De Espana has grossed $795K in 10 days locally. 1898 Los Ultimos De Filipinas is a Sony release in Spain which opened to $565K on 327 screens. The war pic set at the end of the 19th century in Luzon is directed by Salvador Calvo.