Disney/Pixar’s Coco has struck a chord in China. The movie from directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina has quickly become the top-grossing Pixar title ever in the market as guitar hero Miguel and his trusty dog Dante have strummed up $75.6M after 10 days there.

The sophomore Middle Kingdom session came in 148% above last weekend’s opening, pointing to the fantastic word of mouth as the film’s themes continue to resonate.

The full international box office weekend on Coco was $69M in 33 markets for an offshore cume of $171.3M and a global tally of $280M. There are still such majors to come as Australia, Italy, Brazil, Korea, the UK and Japan.

Coco led overall overseas play for the weekend, followed by Justice League ($35.7M), Murder On The Orient Express ($23.1M), Daddy’s Home 2 ($15.6M) and animated Japanese title Fireworks, Should We See It From The Side Or The Bottom? which sparked to $10.7M in China, landing at No. 2 there behind Coco.

Pixar has traditionally been soft in the Middle Kingdom, but local auds are extra sweet on Coco. The movie had the 2nd best sophomore weekend ever for an animated film in the market, behind only Zootopia — and that title multiplied like rabbits with an ultimate $235M there last year. This past week, Coco saw increases throughout with a No.1 weekend that far outdistanced the market’s other players (including Justice League which is moving close to $100M at Chinese turnstiles).

Coco, which saw another No. 1 performance domestically this session, earlier this week helped Disney across the $5B global box office mark for 2017. So did Thor: Ragnarok which has now nailed $816.4M worldwide. The hammer-wielder grabbed another $6.5M this frame to lift the international cume to $525M, passing X-Men: Days Of Future Past’s $514M.

Warner Bros.

In other superhero news, Warner Bros/DC’s Justice League dropped 50% from last weekend to lasso $35.7M in the 3rd outing for an overseas cume of $370.1M. The global total to date is $567.4M. In highlights for the group, the China cume of $98.5M (RMB 653.8M) has now surpassed the lifetime totals of both Wonder Woman and Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice to become the highest-grossing DC film ever in the PROC.

Elsewhere, Fox’s mystery train, Murder On The Orient Express, has crossed $150M internationally, with strong openings in Italy, Korea, Indonesia and Brazil. And STX’s A Bad Moms Christmas decked the halls by passing $100M global, as did Lionsgate/Participant’s Wonder.

As we wait for Star Wars: The Last Jedi to storm the world beginning December 13, next weekend will see expansions and holdovers while China gets a roster of new pics including Paddington 2, Only The Brave, Loving Vincent and 47 Meters Down.

In the meantime, breakdowns on the titles above and others have been updated below.

NEW DARKEST HOUR

Gary Oldman’s star turn in Working Title’s Darkest Hour has been heating awards talk since the film debuted during the fall festival circuit. Universal is just beginning offshore release of the drama from Joe Wright with China kicking things off. The weekend estimate is $1.8M in the Middle Kingdom for 5th place in a frame that was dominated by overwhelming support of animated family pic, Coco.

Oldman plays newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. With the fall of France imminent, Britain faces its darkest hour as the threat of invasion looms and Churchill must maneuver his political rivals while confronting the ultimate choice: negotiate with Hitler and save the British people at a terrible cost or rally the nation and fight on against incredible odds.

International dates roll out through February. The UK and European majors should see solid play on the prestige title — premieres are being held in London and Paris the week of December 11. Upcoming dates include France on January 3, Brazil on January 4, Australia and Germany on January 11 and Spain and the UK Ireland on January 12.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS COCO

Leading the international box office this session, Disney/Pixar’s Day of the Dead-themed family pic continues to charm offshore audiences, and with many majors still to come. The movie had already become the No. 1 film ever in Mexico, and this weekend set a Pixar record in China where it is the animation label’s biggest grosser to date.

With $75.6M in the Middle Kingdom, Coco is flying in the face of Pixar’s traditional underperformance in the market. Themes of love, leaving and the world of the dead are really striking a chord locally.
In total, Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina’s Coco plucked up another $69M in 33 material markets this weekend, lifting the international cume to $171.3M and the worldwide songbook to $280M.

This weekend saw Coco open in France, Germany and Spain. In the former, the colorful pic stirred up $5.2M ($6.4M including previews), landing it at No. 1 and more than doubling the openings of both Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6. Spain was also a No. 1 start with $2.8M, ahead of the debuts of Moana and Big Hero 6. Germany too grabbed No. 1 with $2M to top Moana and Wreck-It Ralph.

Elsewhere in Europe, Coco had an especially impressive opening in Belgium, posting $900K, ahead of all three comps above and with a Saturday that topped Frozen.

In holds, the China performance truly is impressive. After a $17.8M start and lots of social sentiment last frame, this week saw each weekday increase before the sophomore session’s $44.2M. That’s 148% above the opening frame and ranks as the 2nd highest second weekend ever for an animated release in China behind only Zootopia. Recall that Zootopia was a massive hit last year with $235M in Middle Kingdom coin.

Coco is already the highest grossing Pixar release ever in China and third highest Pixar/Disney release after only Zootopia and Big Hero 6. Fun fact: The second weekend $44.2M China gross, if ranked against animated opening weekends, would stand at No. 3 all-time, behind only opening frames of Despicable Me 3 and Kung Fu Panda 3.

Elsewhere, Coco held terrifically with increases in a further five markets: Indonesia (+49%), Malaysia (+30%), Portugal (+18%), Taiwan (+15%) and Vietnam (+9%). The Top 5 plays so far are China, Mexico ($55.6M), France ($6.4M), Russia ($5.8M) and Spain ($2.8M).

JUSTICE LEAGUE

With a 50% drop in its third weekend, Warner Bros/DC’s Justice League added $35.7M on 20,375 screens in 66 markets. That billows Superman’s cape to $370.1M overseas and $567.4M worldwide.
There’s a new milestone for the league of superheroes in China where a running cume of RMB 653.8M ($98.5M) cuffs the best DC score ever, surpassing the total cumes of Wonder Woman and BVS.

Brazil remains the No. 2 offshore market for the Batman and crew. The film is still No. 1 there and saw a small 24% dip to bring the total so far to $31.2M. Mexico is next best with $21.7M to date after ranking No. 2 this weekend. In the UK, the crew has racked up $20.2M, and Korea is now at $12.9M.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Rolling into a handful of new stations this session, Fox’s Kenneth Branagh-helmed mystery unearthed $23.1M in a total 68. That lifts the overseas cume to $152.7M. Italy saw a great start at $3.9M, 12% bigger than comp The Great Gatsby and good for No. 1. Korea, where two local movies are leading, gave MOTOE $3.4M, on par with Gone Girl and including previews. Also new this weekend was Indonesia at $1.9M for No. 1, and Brazil bowed at No. 2 with $1.43M.
In holds, Germany was down 30% for a $9.58M total so far; the UK dipped 39% with a cume of $28.8M; and Australia fell off by just 20% to cume $9.9M so far.

Overall, Orient Express is the top film in seven markets and is outpacing The Great Gatsby by 39% and Gone Girl by 68% in the same bucket of markets and at current exchange rates. Next weekend, the film opens in Belgium, Japan and Taiwan.

DADDY’S HOME 2

Paramount’s holiday comedy grossed $15.6M this weekend in 49 markets, including 25 new openings. The international cume is now $34M. Playing to the family crowd, the drop was 32% from last session.
Mexico got off to No. 1 with $4.8M at 764 cinemas becoming the 2nd biggest all-time opening weekend for a Hollywood comedy behind Pixels. The result is 108% above Daddy’s Home. The UAE was also a No. 1 debut with $650K at 45 cinemas for 26% over the original Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg-starrer.

Argentina roosted at No. 2 in the debut with $408K at 179 locations; the result is 40% above Daddy’s Home which opened during school holidays). Colombia started at No. 3 with $357K at 182 sites. The bow is 26% below Daddy’s Home which likewise opened during school holidays. Israel stepped in at No. 2 with $275K at 27 sites; 17% above Daddy’s Home. Ecuador scored the best opening ever for a comedy with $170K at 40 cinemas.

In holds, the UK added $2.7M in frame 2 on the pic that features Mel Gibson and John Lithgow. The total is currently $10.6M. Other cumes include Australia at $5.3M; Russia with $2.5M; and Brazil’s $1.6M. The next major to go is Germany on December 7.

WONDER

Lionsgate/Participant Media’s sleeper broke the $100M worldwide mark this weekend, thanks to a further $7.8M from 46 markets. The worldwide and international totals stand at $100.2M and $12.2M respectively through Sunday.

Australia started off at No. 1 with $2.3M from 290 locations. The Julia Roberts-starrer also bowed in the UK, with $1.5M from 526 screens, and Spain debuted to $753K from 241.

Brazil is the next major to launch (December 7) with the rest of international rolling out through the holiday season into early next year.

THOR: RAGNAROK

The son of Odin crossed $800M global as expected this week, lifting to $816.4M. Internationally, Taika Waitit’s take on the Marvel property added $6.5M in 52 markets for an offshore total of $525M to date, passing X-Men: Days Of Future Past ($514M).
Holds are good in such plays as the UK (-9%), Israel (-9%), Australia (-13%), Sweden (-28%), Mexico (-29%), Argentina (-30%), the Netherlands (-31%), Japan (-43%) and Germany (-45%).

In the UK, Thor 3 hammered past the £30M mark and will soon surpass the lifetime total of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

China remains the top market at $112.1M, followed by the UK, Korea ($34.9M), Brazil ($29.9M) and Australia ($25.2M).

A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS

The STX sequel opened in seven more international markets this weekend and added $3.8M from 2,807 locations. The offshore cume is $40M which helps push the comedy across the $100M mark worldwide. The global cume to date is $104.8M.

In the Netherlands and Belgium this weekend, frosty weather kept some folks home as the weekend approached, but on Saturday both markets saw the sequel outperform the original. The former opened Bad Moms Christmas at No. 2 with $550K from 108 sites. That’s 22% ahead of the previous film and outranks comps like Horrible Bosses 2, Neighbors 2 and Office Christmas Party. In Belgium, the Mila Kunis-starrer opened at No. 3 with $240K from 65 locations, 14% behind Bad Moms, but ahead of the other comps. France came in lower than comps with $425K at 200 locations, 47% behind Bad Moms.

The UK leads holds with a tiny 14% drop for a $9.7M cume. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are at $9.6M to date, followed by Australia/NZ with $8.1M after five frames.

Still to come are Italy, Russia, Spain and Latin America this weekend.

JIGSAW

Lionsgate’s eightquel carved out another $2.3M in 71 markets this weekend, for a $60.1M running offshore cume. Brazil launched to $908K on 480 screens, surpassing Saw 4 (+68%), Saw 5 (+64%), and Saw 6 (+126%), based on local currency. The UK remains the lead market at $6.7M after weekend 6. Venezuela ($5.7M), Russia ($5.1M), Germany ($5.1M) and France ($4M) follow.

HAPPY DEATH DAY

The Universal/Blumhouse micro-budget horror pic is looking at $2.2M in 59 markets this session for an international total of $53.1M. Argentina got off to a strong start in the search for the co-ed killer with $370K at No. 3. France, where the movie’s titled Happy Birthdead, was the top hold at $512K for a total $3.6M. The global tally lifts to $108.7M. Russia releases this week.

NB: We are waiting on a full breakdown for Paddington 2 which will come with the actuals. In the meantime, comScore puts the weekend at $6.15M in 15 markets for a total $47M to date.

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLES

The Snowman (UNI): $1.5M intl weekend (20 markets); $34.9M international cume
The Foreigner (STX): $1.2M intl weekend (3 new markets); $103.5M intl cume
The Mountain Between Us (FOX): $939K intl weekend (19 markets); $27M intl cume
Girls Trip (UNI): $700K intl weekend (3 markets); $23M intl cume
Marrowbone (UNI): $270K intl weekend (Spain only); $7.8M Spanish cume

NEW LOCAL TITLES

Perfectos Desconocidos, a Spanish comedy that Universal is distributing in Spain, opened Friday and placed No. 2 for the weekend with $2.1M. Critics and audiences are responding well to the Álex de la Iglesia-helmed pic that stars Belen Rueda. It’s a remake of Paolo Genovese’s Italian hit Perfetti Sconosciuti (Perfect Strangers) which released last year and scored the Best Film and Screenplay prizes at the David di Donatello awards.

The story unfolds at a dinner party during which it’s proposed that everyone leave their cell phone in the center of the table, with text messages, calls and social prompts visible to all and revealing secrets that are perhaps better kept hidden.

Warner Bros Japan released Full Metal Alchemist this weekend with the film grabbing No. 1 at $3.6M on 411 screens. The results are on par with WB’s local hit Rurouni Kenshin. Directed by Fumihiko Sori and based on the manga series, it’s an action story about alchemist brothers Edward and Alphone Elric in search of the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

New in Korea, mystery thriller Forgotten bowed via Megabox with $3.42M at No. 2 behind holdover The Swindlers. From writer/director Zhang Hang-jun, the film stars Kang Ha-neul and Kim Moo-yeol as brothers Jinseok and Yuseok. When Yuseok is kidnapped on their first day at a new house, Jinseok suffers from hallucinations until Yuseok returns home on the 19th day with a memory loss and exhibiting strange behavior. Finding himself in a hidden murder case inside Yuseok’s twisted memory, Jinseok faces a heartbreaking truth. Netflix recently acquired the pic for global rollout in 2018.

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