Mockingjay Part I’ Wings Way To $67.5M After 3-Days: Int’l Box Office Update, With an estimated $55M at the domestic box office on Friday, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I fell about 22% shy of Catching Fire‘s $70.95M first day in 2013. However, the international rollout is providing some serious wind beneath Mockingjay‘s wings. It’s playing on 17,000 screens in 85 overseas markets, including key European and Latin American dates. It won’t hit China until 2015, but Asia has not been a massive bullseye for Katniss & Co over the course of the franchise. Still, even without China, and with Korea still entranced by Interstellar, Mockingjay‘s estimated three-day overseas total is $67.5M. In order to best Catching Fire first frame, where it played in 63 markets, Mockingjay will have to soar above $146M. That included $12.9M earned in China which was a day-and-date release last year. Below are updated figures from key territories since Wednesday’s kick-off; I’ll be back tomorrow with the full report.
The UK is proving the most voracious Hunger Games consumer once again with $8.2M after two days, up 6% from Catching Fire. Germany is at $6M in 2 days, after scoring the biggest opening day of 2014 on Thursday. Russia stands at $5.3M after two days, 24% higher than Catching Fire. France after three days has amassed $4.5M, and Italy has posted $1.9M after 2 days. Spain, which opened Friday, scored $1.8M and the top Friday bow of 2014.
Latin American markets have already kindled 65% of Catching Fire‘s opening weekend after 48 hours. Mexico is at $5.3M and Brazil has grossed $5.1M.
Australia, where Mockingjay also had the best opening of the year, has sold $4.6M worth of tickets after two days.
Lionsgate says Korea has grown 26% after opening on Wednesday. The cume there after two days is $1.3M, although Interstellar is still No. 1 at the local box office.
PREVIOUS, FRIDAY PM PT: Lionsgate earlier today reported that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I was tracking 5% over last year’s Catching Fire overseas. In 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire did slightly better abroad than domestically at about $440M vs $425M. We now have some dollar estimates on the first installment of the franchise finale’s performance in several offshore markets. The estimated early total through Day 2 of international release is over $33M.
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen pulled an arrow out of her quiver in nine markets on Wednesday including France, Scandinavia and Brazil, and then expanded to a further 59 on Thursday, including the UK, Germany, Australia, Italy, Mexico and Korea. With 17 more bowing today (Friday), the total launch heading into the weekend is 85 markets, the biggest day-and-date release of the year and Lionsgate’s widest release ever.
Lionsgate reports No. 1 openings in virtually every market with the UK at $3.6M, including previews, which is 12% higher than Catching Fire. The UK was the top market for Catching Fire, taking $55.5M.
Germany, Catching Fire‘s 2nd biggest ex-U.S. territory, earned $2.9M on Thursday, up 11% from the previous film and the biggest opening of 2014. Germany was ultimately worth about $43M for Catching Fire.
After two days in release in France, Mockingjay‘s gross flew to $3M, up more than 10% compared to Catching Fire. It also had the No. 1 opening of the year in Belgium, up 5% from the previous chapter.
Russia posted a record for the biggest 2D opening day of 2014 with $2.7M — +28% compared to Catching Fire with 40% of the market.
Australia, which was Catching Fire‘s 3rd biggest territory abroad at $34M, gave Mockingjay the biggest opening day of the year so far with $2.4M. In other records, Italy scored the best opening Thursday for 2014 with Mockingjay‘s $877K, up 8% over Catching Fire’s bow.
Dollar figures for Korea are not yet available, but it’s likely this is the only major territory where Mockingjay did not debut at No. 1. It was up 41% from Catching Fire on its opening day, but Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is having just an out-of-this-world run there and is expected to be No. 1 for the 3rd straight week. Korea did not figure in the Top 5 of Catching Fire‘s overseas markets, ending up at about $7.3M in a year rife with local hits.
Interstellar is still on release globally this week (including in China where this Mockingjay was bumpred to 2015). I’ll be back on Sunday with a full rundown of the global weekend.
