'Cast Away' a shore thing in Oz, Spain
'Tiger' drawing nicely in U.K.
Otherwise the frame was a mixed bag for U.S. releases. "The 6th Day" underlined Arnold Schwarzenegger's waning B.O. clout in Oz, "Bedazzled" tempted quite a few folks in Germany and Spain, but "Almost Famous" was almost invisible in its offshore preem in Sweden.
"Vertical Limit" reached the B.O. summit in its Taiwan bow but had to settle for No. 2 in the U.K. It was bested in Malaysia and Singapore by Jackie Chan's "The Accidental Spy."
"Cast Away" stashed away an estimated $2.5 million in four days on 178 screens Down Under, outpacing "What Women Want,'' which nabbed roughly $1.7 million on 207 in its second lap. Entering at No. 3, "6th Day" mustered a mediocre $741,000 on 176.
The survivor saga minted approximately $873,000 in two days on 185 in Spain, just edging "Unbreakable's" $872,000 in its second round on 226. Showing sturdy legs, "Cast Away" eased by about 15% in the U.K., fetching $2.3 million Friday-Saturday on 392, and by around the same in Germany, taking $3.5 million in three days on 544.
Harold Ramis' "Bedazzled" seduced an estimated $2.5 million in four days on 520 in Germany and $1.2 million in three days on 200 in Spain.
Over the "Limit"
Roger Donaldson's "Vertical Limit" collected roughly $1.5 million in two days on 389 in the U.K., $214,000 Friday-Saturday on 16 in Taiwan, $202,000 in three days on 36 in Singapore and $109,000 in three on 41 in Malaysia.
In its sophomore outings, the mountaineering adventure dominated Mexico, scoring an estimated $983,000 in two days on 317, and ranked No. 1 again in South Korea, beating "What Women Want's" second turn. The Mel Gibson/Helen Hunt starrer had a socko bow in Argentina, collaring an estimated $606,000 in two days, ahead of a solid $387,000 for "Meet the Parents" in its second and "The Emperor's New Groove's" modest $200,000 entry.
Handled overseas by Columbia TriStar, Cameron Crowe's U.S. under-achiever "Almost Famous" hit an off-note in Sweden, garnering about $45,000 in two days on 24. "Cast Away" led the Swedish B.O. parade in its second voyage, ahead of local holdovers "Jalla, Jalla" and "Eva Och Adam" and rookie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Ang Lee's actioner is drawing nicely in the U.K., notching an estimated $584,000 in its third fling on only 101 screens.
"Quills" made a promising $244,000 in three days on 40 in Mexico ($345,000 with previews) but was only fair in its London platform, penning an estimated $120,000 in three days at 14 locations.
