How To Train Your Dragon 3 Flies To $84M; Deadpool 2 #1 X-Men Movie WW

UPDATE, writethru: Expanding to a handful of key markets this weekend, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World swooped into the top spot on the international box office chart with a $40.2M frame. This lifts the overseas running total to $84.4M from 41 markets so far in release. The threequel breathed a bit of fire into the offshore frame, helping to push the weekend up by about 8% across the Top 5 titles versus last week, and last year.

Universal took a long lead on Dragon 3 offshore, going out in Australia just after the New Year to take advantage of the peak summer holiday season there, and then rolling into more hubs over the past four frames. There are further significant launches to come. (The threequel hits domestic theaters on February 22, but has already fired up Universal-Fandango early access screenings.)

Bowing in 23 international markets this session, the Dean DeBlois-directed HTTYD3 was No. 1 in 20 of those new homes. It played like a fury in Mexico with $7.7M at 865 locations for the biggest launch weekend ever of a DWA title. The UK bowed to $6.8M at No. 1 and ahead of both prior installments. Italy is also tracking well ahead of those two movies while Brazil’s hold was a terrific -27% at No. 1 for $10.3M after three frames. Oz leads all play at $15.5M.

This is the first installment of the $1.2B franchise under DWA’s new home at Uni and opens in France and Germany this week. It will also look to benefit from the February 5 Lunar New Year holiday in Korea and South East Asia this week. That same date kicks off the annual China lockout on imports with HTTYD3 set for March 1 in the Middle Kingdom.

In an otherwise quiet weekend, two local pics did big business in their respective markets. Korea’s crime comedy Extreme Job made $20.9M in its second frame to cume $48.8M per comScore. In France, Qu’Est-ce Qu’On A Encore Fait Au Bon Dieu?!, the sequel to the 2014 runaway comedy, opened to $12.8M.

Last week’s offshore leader, M Night Shyamalan’s Glass — which Disney is releasing abroad — dipped 49% in the 3rd session. It added $12.2M in 54 markets for an overseas cume of $110.3M, still running marginally below the previous Eastrail 177 trilogy entry, Split. The worldwide total will pass $200M once today’s actuals are finalized, or with tomorrow’s numbers.

Behind Glass, five-time Oscar nominee Green Book, which is going out internationally via a mix of Lionsgate and Amblin Partners, had a combined $11.9M weekend for a $25.5M cume to date. The Peter Farrelly-helmed pic recently scored a March 1 China date and could see a nice bump when it opens there following the local February frenzy.

As the Middle Kingdom rings in the Year of the Pig this week, we’ll be taking a closer look at what’s in store for the lucrative period. In the meantime, China has helped push Fox’s Deadpool 2 ahead of the original Deadpool’s worldwide gross. With $784M global, DP2 is now the highest-grossing film in the X-Men franchise.

It’s also worth highlighting the China performance of Sony’s Escape Room where the reported $9M budget pic has now grossed $33.5M after three weekends. The week-to-week drop was just 17%. While there hasn’t been much new blood ahead of the February 5 holiday, the performance is notable in that few mystery-thrillers like this see the inside of movie theaters in China. That has raised curiosity along with a cultural resonance given the popularity of escape rooms in the big cities.

In milestones, Warner Bros’ Aquaman has topped $1.1B global ($783.4M international) and opens in Japan on Friday. Also from WB, Creed II topped $200M global this round while Disney’s Ralph Breaks The Internet has now surpassed the original Wreck-It Ralph both domestically and internationally as it closes in on $500M global.

Next weekend will see increased action, led by China where more than 10 new local titles will flood cinemas beginning Tuesday. Among the most-anticipated are sci-fi epic The Wandering Earth and racing-themed comedy Pegasus. From the studios, the new wide release will be Warner Bros’ The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part which is hitting most markets in the opening suite save China, France, Mexico, Italy, Australia and Japan. As noted, the latter is getting Aquaman on Friday in the last stand for the fish-man.

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

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

As its staggered offshore rollout continues, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s critically-praised threequel fired up another $40.2M to lift the overseas cume to $84.4M. The Dean DeBlois-directed film began its overseas play in Australia back in early January, taking advantage of the peak summer season there, then significantly added Brazil three weeks ago. It’s targeting half-term school holidays in Europe and the Lunar New Year holiday in South Korea and South East Asia.

This weekend, it opened at No. 1 in 20 of 23 new markets (there are 40 total in release). Mexico was the best start at $7.7M, a record for DWA. Next was the UK with $6.8M at 555 locations, ahead of both previous movies. Korea, where two local pics came in above it, bowed to $4.65M at 445. The opening day there was tops for the series. Italy grossed $3.45M from 448 at No. 1 and 137% above HTTYD1 and 67% above HTTYD2.

At No. 1, Malaysia scored the biggest DWA opening weekend ever with $1.9M from 141. Thailand ($1.8M/2nd biggest animated opening of all time), Taiwan, Singapore, Argentina, Belgium, Peru, Denmark, Hong Kong, South Africa and more were also No. 1 bows.

Brazil held -27% at 606 sites for a $10.3M cume after three weekends. Australia is the leader with $15.5M. The coming frame adds France and Germany. Russia and Spain follow day-and-date with domestic while China goes on March 1 and Japan on August 23.

HTTYD2, which was released via Fox, made $65M (unadjusted) in China, followed by the UK ($41.5M), Russia ($30M), Germany ($26.9M) and France ($25.1M). The sequel finaled at $444.5M overseas and $621.5M global.

GLASS

In its 3rd offshore frame, M Night Shyamalan’s Glass dipped 49% to gross $12.2M. This brings the overseas cume to $110.3M in 54 Disney markets. Globally, the movie will crack $200M today or tomorrow. It’s currently at $199M. The third film in the Eastrail 177 trilogy was frontloaded at open two sessions ago and is running slightly behind its predecessor, Split. It had good holds this frame in such markets as Vietnam (-19%), Germany (-20%), Australia (-26%) and the Netherlands (-31%).

The Top 5 on Glass are the UK ($11.3M), Russia ($10.1M), Mexico ($9.5M), France ($7.6M) and Germany ($6.8M). That’s relatively in line with Split, if we switch Mexico out for Korea where Glass has not clinked with audiences in the same way.

GREEN BOOK

Releasing offshore via a mix of Amblin Partners and Lionsgate, the Best Picture Oscar nominee made a combined $11.9M this weekend. That includes $5.5M in 37 Lionsgate markets and $6.4M from the Amblin hubs. Respectively, the cumes are $14.6M and $10.9M for an international running total of $25.5M.

Via Lionsgate, Italy had a strong No. 2 debut this weekend with $1.8M at 323 locations. The next major market for LGF is Mexico on February 8. Via Amblin, the UK bowed at No. 2 this session with $2M including previews. Spain was also a No. 2 debut with $1.14M. In Germany, the Viggo Mortensen/Mahershala Ali-starrer made $1.2M and has the best per-screen average of the session. In holds, Australia dipped just 12% for a $3.16M cume and Korea has grossed $1M to date.

Green Book has a China date of March 1 (in a flat sale deal) and should benefit from Amblin’s relationship with Alibaba Pictures which will be expected to lean on its popular ticketing platform Tao Piao Piao to support the movie. It will be coming out just after the Oscars and could see an awards box office halo in the Middle Kingdom as did recent pics The Revenant, La La Land, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and The Shape Of Water.

ESCAPE ROOM

Sony’s Adam Robitel-directed Escape Room has several major markets to come, and has already absconded with $33.5M in China. The reported $9M budget pic saw a slight 17% dip this session (after a 27% drop in the previous frame) and is clicking with audiences. Horror releases are rare in the Middle Kingdom and although this PG-13 movie leans into suspense, even mystery/thriller pics like this are not often shown in theaters. There’s also a history of real-life escape rooms in China which has added to the uptake for Escape Room while Vincenzo Natali’s escape-themed 1997 cult hit Cube is a popular title for Chinese audiences online.

Elsewhere, the UK launched to $1.1M (including previews). Overall this weekend, the film made $8.8M in 33 markets. The international cume is $44M. Still to come are Australia, Brazil, Russia and Mexico this weekend, followed by Germany, Italy and Spain.

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
Adding $8.5M in 31 markets, Ralph is approaching the $300M mark internationally and $500M global. The respective totals through Sunday are $289.5M and $486.5M. New this weekend were the Finland, Norway and Sweden, all at No. 1 and all ahead of the original. Germany, which bowed last frame, held No. 1 again with a slight 21% drop. Spain held to -11% and the Netherlands was off by just 20%.

The Top 5 cumes to date are China ($39M), Japan ($33.9M), the UK ($22.8M), Mexico ($17.4M) and Brazil ($16.4M). Still to open in France on February 13.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Talk about sustaining a note. In its 15th weekend of release, Fox’s Oscar nominee is still rocking cinemas with another $7.1M from 39 markets. Japan just can’t get enough of the Freddie Mercury biopic. The drop was 14% this 13th session there with a cume of $98M. In Holland, Bo Rhap is No. 1 for the 4th consecutive weekend which is also the film’s 14th weekend in release. The cume there is $21.2M. In other notable totals, the UK now has $68M in the songbook, France has $37.3M, Australia $37M and Germany $32M. The overseas cume is $624.4M for $832M global.

CREED II

After surpassing the lifetime of the previous movie overseas last session, Warner Bros’ Creed II punched up another $7M in 44 markets. This takes the offshore gross to $86.5M. Globally, the spinoff sequel is weighing in at $202M.

In highlights, Italy has topped the first movie by 11% after just two weekends with a $7M cume and Germany also knocked out Creed I, by 19%, with $4.2M to date. The Top hubs are the UK ($12.8M), France ($12.6M), Italy, Australia ($6.3M) and Mexico ($6.2M).

DEADPOOL 2

Once Upon A Deadpool, the version released in China, took the No. 2 spot there this weekend, adding $6.8M. The cume there is $40.6M after two frames and as the runway essentially evaporates due to the upcoming New Year influx of local pics. The China stint, a first for the red-suited rascal, pushed DP2 to $462.2M overseas and to $748M worldwide. That makes the sequel the highest-grossing film in the X-Men franchise.

THE MULE

Clint Eastwood’s drama kicked up another $6.3M, dropping just 38% in holdover markets. It’s playing in a total 51 so far with an international cume of $24M for $125.8M worldwide. France is seeing a fine run, with a 36% drop from opening and a leading $7.8M among all release markets to date. Italy, where Eastwood is likewise revered, goes this weekend. Brazil, Russia, Spain, March and Korea are still on deck.

BUMBLEBEE
Paramount’s Transformers origins story revved up another $6.2M in 49 markets this session. The offshore cume is now $331M with Japan still to come in late March. In China, Bee added $5.4M in the 5th weekend at 7,014 locations. The cume there is $167.5M.

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE

Instant Family (PAR): $4.7M intl weekend (29 markets); $28M intl cume
Aquaman (WB): $4.6M intl weekend (77 markets); $783.4M intl cume
Mary Poppins Returns (DIS): $4.3M intl weekend (35 markets incl $2.5M Japan debut); $160.5M intl cume
The Favourite (FOX): $4.1M intl weekend (31 markets); $33.1M intl cume
A Dog’s Way Home (SNY): $3.1M intl weekend (26 markets); $15M intl cume
Mary Queen Of Scots (UNI): $2.3M intl weekend (33 markets); $17.8M intl cume (incl $8.6M from UK)
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (SNY): $1.6M intl weekend (60 markets); $172M intl cume
The Kid Who Would Be King (FOX): $1.2M intl weekend (21 markets); $5M intl cume
Dragon Ball Super: Broly (FOX): $1M intl weekend (20 markets); $72M intl cume
The Upside (STX): $873K intl weekend; $7.65M intl cume

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