"Angels & Demons" flies high overseas
LOS ANGELES: "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" could not dislodge "Angels & Demons" as the No. 1 film at the foreign box office last weekend.
Ben Stiller's family comedy, the top film in North America with $70 million for the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, grossed $50.1 million from 93 markets. "Angels" led the field for a second weekend with $60.4 million from 99 markets.
"Smithsonian" will have a hard time challenging much less exceeding the $323.6 million overseas box office mark set by the 2006 original, "Night at the Museum."
The biggest market for the sequel was the U.K., where it finished No. 1 with a muscular $6.8 million. It also finished No. 1 in France ($5 million), Russia ($4.4 million) and Australia ($3.6 million).
"Angels & Demons" has earned $198.3 million internationally. A delayed Mexico debut revitalized the recently reopened market by generating a powerful $4.1 million. "Angels & Demons" premiered strongly in Norway, grossing $1.9 million for the country's 11th biggest opening weekend.
"Star Trek," which was No. 1 until "Angels & Demons" opened, was No. 3 this weekend with $11.5 million from 58 markets. Its overseas total stands at $87.5 million.
"Terminator Salvation," the new No. 2 title domestically, also opened in selected Middle East markets and in Korea. In the latter, it took the No. 1 slot with $7.2 million. A full-scale offshore splash is schedule June 3-5.
"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was No. 4 with $7 million from 103 territories. The international total for the Hugh Jackman movie stands at $156.7 million.
Fifth was Disney's teen pop saga "Hannah Montana: The Movie," which generated $3.1 million from 17 markets for an overseas total of $31 million. The Miley Cyrus vehicle opened at No. 2 in Mexico with $785,000.