Around-the-World Brief: 'Pirates' Booty Grows, 'Hangover,' 'Panda' Sequels Open Stron

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by Brandon Gray
May 29, 2011.


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As The Hangover Part II cleaned up domestically, big numbers were posted overseas by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2.

Playing everywhere, the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean dominated with an estimated $122.8 million, slowing 48 percent from last weekend (minus previews). Its foreign haul climbed to $470.8 million, leap-frogging Fast Five's $346 million as the biggest total of the year so far. Add in its $152.9 million domestic sum, and On Stranger Tides' worldwide total hit $623.7 million in 12 days. That tied Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End as fastest movie to reach the $600 million worldwide.

Japan was On Stranger Tides' top market of the weekend with an estimated $13.3 million, down ten percent from last weekend. It was followed by Germany ($11.8 million, off 40 percent), Russia ($10.8 million, off 60 percent) and China ($10 million, off 54 percent). Russia's the overall top contributor to the total at nearly $50 million, followed by China and Japan at nearly $44 million apiece. On Stranger Tides is already the top-grossing Pirates movie in 23 territories, including Russia, China and Brazil.

The Hangover Part II debuted in 40 countries and grossed an estimated $60.2 million, which tripled what the first Hangover opened to in the same markets. The comedy sequel ruled the United Kingdom with an estimated $16.7 million, marking the top-grossing start ever for an American comedy there and the biggest opening of 2011 so far. At $11.9 million, Australia was the next largest market, where the movie topped the Sex and the City's as the biggest-grossing opening ever for a rated MA movie (those under age 15 years old not permitted). In France, Hangover II bagged an estimated $5.8 million, and, in Italy, it made an estimated $4.7 million, which was five times higher than the first movie. Hangover II's next major markets are Germany and Russia on June 2 and Spain on June 24.

Drawing an estimated $57 million from just 11 markets, Kung Fu Panda 2 generated nearly as much as Hangover II and set a number of records to mitigate its relatively tepid domestic gross. In China, the animated sequel logged the top-grossing debut for a non-local title with an estimated $18.5 million, surpassing former record holder On Stranger Tides by 50 percent. Russia was Panda 2's next biggest market with $15 million, and, excluding previews, that was 70 percent greater than the first Kung Fu Panda and was the third highest-grossing animated opening ever behind Shrek Forever After and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. In South Korea, Panda 2 delivered the biggest-grossing animated opening ever with $13 million, which was also 60 percent greater than the first Panda. The movie also broke that record in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and India. Panda 2 will roll out around the world throughout the summer to capitalize on school holidays, and its final market will be Japan on Aug. 19.

Fast Five was a distant fourth with an estimated $13.3 million, increasing its tally to $346 million. The action sequel has two more countries to go: Venezuela on June 2 and Japan in October.
 
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