Summer's hits click overseas
Oz teens hurry to 'Gone,' U.K. flocks to 'Run'
More predictably, "Chicken Run" ran riot in the U.K., "Dinosaur" dazzled Brazil and "Gladiator" and "Mission: Impossible 2" kept the B.O. busy.
"Perfect Storm" notched up a perfectly good $2.1 million at 257 ports Down Under -- Warner Bros.' sixth-highest opening week in the territory. That was 30% below "Sixty Seconds," which took $3.1 million on 220.
Demo divide
Some Oz exhibs predicted the carjack caper would open stronger than "Storm" -- but none foresaw this kind of margin. The explanation lies mostly in the demographic split: Older auds were drawn to the George Clooney/Mark Wahlberg starrer, while teenagers made a beeline for the Nicolas Cage actioner. Pic stole $1.1 million on 78 in Singapore (the third-best opener this year after "Toy Story 2" and "Gladiator," capturing 50% of the top 10 receipts) and $1.2 million in four days on 71 in South Korea.
Ruling U.K. roost
"Chicken Run" conquered Blighty, boosted by laudatory reviews and a TV program about the U.K.-based production company Aardman Animation and its co-creator Nick Park. However, few Brits stepped out for "Three to Tango," while "Big Momma's House" dragged in its second outing.
"Dinosaur" rang up $2.4 million in six days on 320 in Brazil, a toon record (beating "Tarzan" by 50%), and had an encouraging preem on 16 in Israel.
"Shanghai Noon" (cume: $61.3 million) blitzed the Philippines, collaring $641,000 on 71.
"Gladiator" minted $14.1 million in 26 territories as its cume soared to $180.6 million. The film had a good second joust in France after posting the second-best opening week there this year for a U.S. release after "The Sixth Sense," and UIP's fifth-biggest ever. Korea has generated a terrif $9.5 million in 33 days.
"Mission: Impossible 2" pocketed $14.6 million in 12 countries, highlighted by South Africa's explosive $783,000 in six days on 82, an all-time high. The cume is $58.6 million, including Mexico's $6.5 million in 13 days, Brazil's $4.3 million in 12 days and Korea's $9.4 million in 19 days.
'Road' bypassed
On the minus side of the ledger, "The Road to El Dorado" tanked in Taiwan, New Zealand and the Philippines after flunking its first foreign tryout in Singapore.
After mediocre foreign preems, lousy word of mouth sent "Me, Myself & Irene" plummeting 54% in France and 34% in Australia.
"Scream 3" retained pole position in its second lap in Germany amid soft trading, and saw a lusty launch in Brazil; cume's at $63.2 million.
Three Miramax titles -- "Reindeer Games," "The Cider House Rules" and "She's All That" -- unspooled in Japan, but none made much of a dent.
"Cider House" hasn't matched its domestic results overseas, squeezing out $29.2 million from 43 markets, while "She's All That" has cumed $40.3 million in 34 markets.
"Stuart Little" reached $101 million, spurred by a rousing second lap in Spain. Family pic earned $6.9 million from a handful of territories late last year and will join the ranks of those that have grossed $100 million this year after U.K. and Japan bows this month.
