It's totally Harry Potter's world once more.
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" ignited what had been a mild foreign box office with $80 million on 6,000 prints in 19 countries, finishing first in every market and setting a slew of records.
Despite opening in only three leading foreign markets -- the U.K., Germany and Mexico -- the fourth Potter pic nearly equaled the larger foreign launch of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," which included the U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Mexico and totaled $87.2 million at 7,885 screens in 24 markets in June 2004.
"Goblet of Fire" will launch next weekend in Japan, Italy and Spain, Benelux and Brazil, followed by France and Australia during the first December frame. The initial figures indicate "Goblet" could approach the same foreign totals for its predecessors -- $543 million for "The Prisoner of Azkaban," $617 million for "The Chamber of Secrets" and $656 million for "The Sorcerer's Stone."
'GOBLET' GOBBLES UP RECORDS
The U.K. led the "Goblet" charge with $24.6 million at 1,462 playdates, representing the top three-day weekend (excluding previews) and top three-day launch as it beat the Monday-Wednesday holiday-weekend opening of "Azkaban."
"Goblet" dominated in Germany with $19.8 million at 1,243 sites, representing more than 85% of the box office from the top five flicks. The Teuton total is the best four-day launch in Germany and trails only the five-day openings for the second and third "Lord of the Rings" films.
Mexican audiences drank deeply from "Goblet," with $6.8 million at 654 for the best launch for a Warner Bros. film and the third biggest of all time. Taiwan posted the fourth biggest foreign figure with $3.5 million at 184, the second biggest launch in that market after "Kung Fu Hustle."
China, which went day-and-date for the first time on a Potter pic, followed with $3.4 million at 349 playdates, marking the top launch for a Warner film in that market. Denmark saw "Goblet" turn in the top three-day opening (excluding previews) with $2.6 million at 97, while Sweden and Austria generated $2.5 million each, followed by Norway with $2.2 million and Thailand with $2 million.
Though key foreign markets such as Germany, France and Spain have seen double-digit declines so far in 2005, the fourth Potter pic and next month's worldwide launches of "The Chronicles of Narnia" by BVI and "King Kong" by UIP may prove a tonic. Should all three click, international territories will end the year with far more respectable numbers compared with 2004's elevated figures.
(SOURCE: VARIETY)
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