Fall turning green
'Sense,' 'Star' fill seasonal gap o'seas
French bookers were enthralled by the "Star Wars" prequel, which snared $2.5 million on a massive 793 screens Oct. 13, an all-time opening-day record in the territory. Pic's foreign score soared to $413.2 million through Oct. 14 after minting $10.8 million in 27 countries. Cume was just $10.4 million shy of the film's domestic tally and will probably surpass that mark by Oct. 18, powered by holdovers and debuts in France, Belgium, Greece, India, Egypt and Morocco. Europe alone has generated $200 million and Japan has anted up $105.7 million.
Gallic exhibs were relieved after a slow week ending Oct. 12, with ticket sales in Paris off 26% vs. the corresponding week last year.
"American Pie" notched UIP's third-best opening of the year in the U.K. The coarse comedy has been a hot item in Spain ($3.8 million in four weeks) and Australia and fairly warm in Sweden, Taiwan and Israel; cume is about $22 million.
"Runaway Bride" came in second in the U.K. Pic reigned in Spain with $3.9 million in six days on 223, the territory's seventh-highest debut ever. "Bride" slipped by just 18% after a monster launch in Germany; cume from 23 markets hit $57.5 million after a $19.3 million frame.
'Sense' of strength
"The Sixth Sense" posted the seventh-highest opening week ever in Australia and collected a spirited $1.1 million on 61 in Argentina. The Bruce Willis starrer abated by a mere 18% in South Korea, holding pole position for the fourth straight weekend, tallying a formidable $4.7 million. Early in its foreign campaign, cume is $19.3 million.
"Deep Blue Sea" surfaced in Japan with a decent but not dazzling $3.2 million in five days on 182 and in Taiwan with a comparatively stronger $1.8 million in six days on 57, WB's second-highest opener there after "The Matrix." Aquatic thriller (cume: $23.2 million) had buoyant bows in Norway and Denmark, edging out fellow rookie "Big Daddy" in both territories. "Daddy" registered well in the Philippines but sank by 43% in its second in the U.K.; estimated cume is $33 million.
"Tarzan" ($63.2 million) set an industry record for an animated release in Thailand, surpassing "Mulan" by 20%, coining $450,000 in four days on 89, and had a splendid debut in Scotland (where schools are on mid-term vacation) before the Oct. 22 national rollout.
"The Matrix" peaked at $260 million, "The Mummy" reached $246.5 million, "Notting Hill" moved to about $211 million, "Wild Wild West" got to $91.5 million and "Eyes Wide Shut" topped $85 million.
