'Dark Knight' continues global streak

Batman film has cumed $416.7 million offshore

By DAVE MCNARY

"The Dark Knight" remained potent overseas, easily leading the weekend with $19 million at 6,580 playdates in 62 markets, while "Mamma Mia!" stayed stellar outside the United States.

With summer ending, "Dark Knight" has cumed $416.7 million offshore to became the 30th pic to pass the $400 million mark in international cume. Warner Bros.' sixth Batpic continued to show decent traction from holdover biz with its German soph sesh off 48% to $4.4 million and its third French frame down only 31% to $3.3 million.

Combined with its sensational domestic performance, "The Dark Knight" has totaled $919 million worldwide and become only the 10th pic to go past $900 million by that measure. It's the second-best foreign performer this year, trailing only "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" with $466 million.

Universal's "Mamma Mia!" -- the summer's biggest surprise success on the international front -- dazzled again with $12.1 million at 2,933 in 33 markets to lift the foreign cume to $258.3 million thanks mostly to impressive holdovers. Once again, U.K. biz led the way with $2.8 million in its eighth frame, finishing a close second to the launch of "Step Brothers" as the feel-good tuner declined just 20% for a 52-day Brit cume of $106.4 million.

"Mamma Mia!" also launched in first in Poland with $1.4 million and sang sweetly in Spain with $1.4 million, down only 24% in its fourth frame. "Mamma" should stay a player in coming weeks with 22 markets still to open including South Korea next weekend.

"Kung Fu Panda" and "Hancock" -- the third and fourth top foreign grossers this year, respectively -- continued minting money from overseas with targeted launches. Paramount's "Panda" put its paws on $9.1 million at 3,332 in 62 markets, mostly from its $6.6 million Italian debut to lift its offshore cume to $385 million.

"Hancock" grabbed $8.9 million at 1,445 in 44 territories with all but $1 million coming from its Japanese launch. The Will Smith actioner's cumed $353 million overseas and is now $25 million ahead of the final foreign total for Smith's previous pic, "I Am Legend."

Frame also saw Disney's "Wall-E" scoop up another $7.7 million at 3,472 in three dozen markets as it scored No. 1 launches in Denmark, Norway and Singapore. Even though the Mouse House avoided head-to-head competition with "Panda" by opting for fall launches in many key markets, the Pixar toon's already hit $175 million.

Sony's "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" also grossed $7.7 million at 2,330 in 36 markets with second frames of $1.6 million from both Germany and Spain. "Zohan" has topped $69 million overseas and could join "Click" as the only Adam Sandler pic to hit $100 million outside the U.S. as it completes its foreign run in coming months.

U closed out its solid summer with "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer" scaring up $7.3 million at 4,468 in 53 markets for an international cume of $239.1 million. That's more than double its domestic take, and with China opening this week, the third "Mummy" should stay lively overseas for several more frames.

Domestic winner "Tropic Thunder" remained a minor player overseas with $3.5 million at 1,061 in 11 territories for a $14.1 million foreign cume as Par opts for a go-slow release pattern typical of comedies aimed at adults. The laffer stayed in first in Australia with $1.6 million in its second frame, topping the opening of "Hellboy 2," but launched quietly in Mexico with $680,000.

Sci-fi actioner "Babylon A.D." went day and date in the U.K. and finished fourth with a mild $963,987 for Fox while leading in Malaysia with $296,955. It also launched in Belgium via Paramount, which reported $375,000.