The Simpsons Movie easily led the international box office this weekend, adding $47.3 million from 6,627 theaters in 75 markets to bring the animated-comedy’s worldwide take to $315.5 million in 12 days. The Simpsons Movie has earned $187 million overseas to date.
Summer business offshore remained robust as four other films — Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ratatouille and Korean monster pic Dragon Wars (D-War) — combined for another $100 million.
Transformers remained a solid overseas player with $30 million at 6,118 in 53 markets. The movie’s foreign total has hit $296 million, nearly matching the domestic total. Transformers, which has exceeded Paramount’s expectations offshore, should become the 48th pic to hit the $300 million international mark in a few days. It will be the fifth summer tentpole — but first non-sequel — to cross that milestone this summer after Spider-Man 3, “At World’s End,” “Order of the Phoenix,” and Shrek the Third.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix continued to conjure up respectable business in its fourth frame with a 49% decline to $25.2 million from 9,700 prints in 59 markets, elevating the foreign total to $509.7 million — 15th highest of all time. “Phoenix” should surpass the $540 million foreign cume for Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban, but it’s unclear if it can match the other three films in the franchise in reaching the $600 million mark.
Ratatouille added $24.5 million at 4,320 in 26 markets. The film’s international tally has hit $83 million.
A surprise from the weekend was the feisty showing of Showbox’s “D-War.” The film turned in a monstrous bow at the local box office with an estimated $19.2 million at 530 screens. Should estimates hold, “D-War” could break the $18 million Korean launch record set in May by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
