TUESDAY AM UPDATE: With $909.8M at the global box office through Monday, Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther has now surpassed Thor: Ragnarok, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, Batman Vs Superman, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man 3 worldwide. Based on the weekend’s numbers, we saw this $900M+ milestone coming — and $1B is on the cards next weekend. The film has also crossed $400M at the international box office with $403.4M through yesterday. Overseas, the industry sees this one getting to about $600M, including what sources peg as an umtimately possible $100M-$120M in China which bows on Friday.
PREVIOUS TUESDAY, with weekend actuals: With a 3rd leading domestic weekend in a row, and as overseas turnstiles tipped towards $400M, Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther grossed $899.9M globally through Sunday. With Monday’s figures included that will have pushed the Wakanda wonder past the $400M offshore and $900M worldwide milestones — we’ll have a full update on yesterday’s takings later today. The breakdown through Sunday was $501.7M in North America and $398.2M at the international box office.
The Ryan Coogler-helmed Black Panther is the 5th Marvel Cinematic Universe title to reach $900M globally, after The Avengers, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Civil War. For T’Challa, the $1B worldwide box office mark lies ahead next weekend. Overseas, the industry sees this one getting to about $600M, including what sources peg as a possible $100M-$120M in China.
Domestically, Black Panther continues to play at the top end of the Marvel echelon while the best overseas comps are Doctor Strange, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok. BP is dominating each of those.
Internationally, this frame was worth $57.7M in 56 material markets. Overall abroad, holds were generally solid with a 42% decline from last weekend. While Italy and Spain have been notably soft on the Panther, he’s come up a bit in Germany versus the early dominance of Fifty Shades Freed. Elsewhere, BP is the highest-grossing movie of all time in West and East Africa; the top MCU title in the Netherlands; and has run past the lifetime of Thor 3 in Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, demonstrating the strong appetite in South East Asia despite initial concerns.
Next weekend T’Challa takes on China and should take the win with advance ticket sales that have been tracking at the level of Spider-Man: Homecoming. That film opened to $71M last September, and finaled at $116M.
Those two films kept pretty much everyone else at bay in the Middle Kingdom, although as the only new kids offering, Sony’s Peter Rabbit had a good start at $12.7M. That helped it hop past $100M global. And, multiple Oscar nominee Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri posted a solid art-house launch of $2.4M on 972 screens.
In other Fox news, Maze Runner: The Death Cure has topped both The Scorch Trials and the original Maze Runner internationally.
Elsewhere, Universal’s Fifty Shades Freed has collared over $250M overseas as it approaches $350M worldwide. And, while Disney is going to hold off further detailed reporting on its double Oscar winner Coco until the film opens in Japan on March 16, this weekend was worth $3.3M for a $536.4M overseas cume and $745M worldwide.
The coming frame notably brings MGM/Warner Bros’ Tomb Raider to Korea and some other Asian hubs with Alicia Vikander in the kick-ass Lara Croft role. Also debuting is Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time in a soft overseas rollout that includes Spain, Russia and Mexico as the majors. And, as noted, Black Panther heads to China in what will be a closely-watched performance. T’Challa will hit 510 IMAX screens there.
Breakdowns and actuals on the films above and more have been updated below.
NEW
RED SPARROW
After being led by Black Panther for the past couple of frames, Taiwan gave over to the Sparrow with $2.4M including Fox’s 5th biggest opening day of all time. The UK was the lead launch at $2.57M and No. 2, although harsh weather was a factor. Germany came in next at $2.45M for No. 2 and 15% above The Bourne Legacy. Spain had a good $2M start on 608 screens at No. 1.
The film has a B CinemaScore domestically and will likely under-deliver there with a take below $60M. It carries a net $69M production cost, which reportedly includes Lawrence’s estimated $15M-$20M paycheck. The film will have to sing for its supper overseas, but at this early stage, industry sources say it won’t break even at the current trajectory. Outside the mega Hunger Games and X-Men franchises, Lawrence’s pictures have typically grossed over $100M offshore — although awards-season momentum and co-stars have traditionally helped.
Red Sparrow has another 10 international markets to launch through May including Japan, France and Russia. It should continue to do some business with older audiences. But it will face competition from the female-led Tomb Raider beginning next weekend and as several big titles hit marquees throughout the month.
HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
BLACK PANTHER
The Wakanda crew have been on a tear domestically while overseas they’re comping to such Marvel stablemates as Doctor Strange, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok. Respectively, BP is ahead of those movies by 36%, 21% and 8%.
This week, Japan was the new play, while Russia opened wide last Monday. In Russia, BP has already crushed the lifetimes of Ant-Man and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as well as DC titles Justice League and Wonder Woman. As expected in Japan, BP came in behind the latest Doraemon, grossing $4.2M including previews to land 47% ahead of Ant-Man, 32% ahead of Guardians Of The Galaxy and to hammer out 28% more than Thor: Ragnarok.
In Europe, the drop was 37% this session, despite some cinema closures due to Siberian-style weather. BP held No. 1 in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Italy and Spain have given the Panther the cold shoulder, but Germany has seen something of a rebound after a soft start that was hampered by the dominance of Fifty Shades Freed.
In South Africa, BP is the No. 5 all-time release, and, as noted above is the highest-grossing movie ever in West and East Africa. It’s also the top MCU release ever in the Netherlands.
Asia Pacific dipped 53% with hat tricks at No. 1 for Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Singapore. T’Challa has exceeded the entire run of Thor: Ragnarok in Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Latin America, typically a big DC region, has been good to the Panther with a 36% drop this session and continued No. 1s across the zone. The film has surpassed Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and GOTG2 there.
In IMAX, the global cume is now $65.5M including a record March opening in Japan and the 4th highest Marvel IMAX opening ever in the market, earning $713K from 29 screens.
The Top 10 overall overseas markets to date are: the UK ($49.1M), Korea ($41.4M), Brazil ($24.9M), Australia ($22.3M), Mexico ($22M), France ($21.4M), Germany ($14.9M), Russia ($12.9M), Taiwan ($11.9M) and Indonesia ($11.3M).
PETER RABBIT
The updated take on Beatrix Potter’s classic is directed by Will Gluck and led by James Corden. It also features international cast in the form of Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Margot Robbie, Sam Niell, Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki.
FIFTY SHADES FREED
GAME NIGHT
THE SHAPE OF WATER
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE
LADY BIRD
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
All The Money In The World (STX): $2.2M intl weekend (67 markets; includes China); $28.8M intl cume
Ice (SNY): $2.1M intl weekend (Russia only); $22.2M intl cume – Sony’s 2nd biggest local production ever in the market
15:17 To Paris (WB): $1.9M Japan opening/$2.2M intl weekend; $15.4M intl cume
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (SNY): $2.15M intl weekend (79 markets); $536.9M intl cume/$930M WW
Call Me By Your Name (SNY): $1.7M intl weekend (39 markets); $15.3M intl cume
Ferdinand (FOX): $1.6M intl weekend (43 markets); $207.3M intl cume
Den Of Thieves (STX): $1.4M intl weekend (45 markets); $25.8M intl cume
Darkest Hour (UNI): $1.1M intl weekend (50 markets); $83.2M intl cume
LOCAL-LANGUAGE