Forget any bad buzz that there’s a funk at the box office, because it always boils down to product, as well as time and space. As we told you throughout the weekend, the live-action Moana was too close to Thanksgiving 2024’s Moana 2 on the calendar. Had it gone in place of Moana 2 at that point in time, then it could be poised to be a billion-dollar-grossing movie.
Similar to domestic (somewhat), U.S. family movies are ruling the top of the global box office chart, though Stephen Chow’s first movie as a director in seven years, Kung Fu Soccer, kicked its way into second place overall. Let’s dive in:
1.) Moana (Dis) $95.1M WW weekend ($52M int’l, $43.1M dom), Wk 1
The Polynesian princess and demigod Maui in-the-flesh didn’t pop off like a volcano with some very low openings. That said, it was No. 1 (non-local) in Australia ($5.3M), France ($5.2M), Korea ($3.8M), UK ($3.7M), Germany ($3.4M) and Spain ($3.1M) as well as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Bahrain, Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Southern Africa, UAE, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Central America and Ecuador.
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China was at $1.2M, Brazil was $2.7M and Mexico was $3.4M; Toy Story 5 beat out Moana in the latter two markets. She’s getting some pulse in the Pan Pacific area, which is not surprising, not only with Australia but also Korea popping, and the Dwayne Johnson movie ranking as the third-highest non-local bow YTD in New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
2.) Kung Fu Soccer (Shenzhen) 1 territory, $73.6M (RMB 500.3M)WW weekend/Wk 1
Chow, the filmmaker behind such mainland China hits as 2001’s Shaolin Soccer ($42.7M WW) and 2004’s Kung Fu Hustle ($104.8M), arrives with a female-led spinoff to the former and rules the country’s B.O. over two days, ahead of the second-place title, the second weekend of Minions & Monsters, by 9x ($8.1M). Kung Fu Soccer follows the underdog Emei team, known for incorporating martial arts with their moves on the field. The release date here was, of course, timed to the World Cup. A great 9.4/10 on Mayan with a projection of $368M (RMB 2.5B) in the Middle Kingdom. Chow wrote and directed here but doesn’t headline, his last appearance being in 2008’s CJ7. Encore Films out of Singapore has rights outside of China, with a worldwide release still in the works.
RELATED: Stephen Chow’s ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ Scores Big At China Box Office With $74M Opening
3.) Toy Story 5 (Dis) 51 territory, $64.3M WW weekend ($45.3M int’l, $19M), Total $879.5M ($475.3M int’l, $404.2M dom), Wk 4
Buzz, Woody and Jessie beat Moana in Brazil and Mexico where the respective cumes remain $22.7M and $66M (biggest outside the U.S.). Following the highest MPA opening weekend of all time in Japan, pic’s second weekend there is the third-highest MPA second weekend of all time, dropping only 29% with a running cume of $30.8M. The fifthquel was also the top-grossing non-local movie in Hong Kong, Taiwan and all Latin American territories (except for Ecuador and Central America). Pic’s overall global haul makes it the seventh highest-grossing Pixar movie ever, having just galloped past Coco ($814M) and Inside Out ($858M WW), and it’s the No. 3 MPA global release YTD. At the foreign B.O., it’s the third-highest MPA title having just clicked past Devil Wears Prada 2 with $468M in international B.O. Other updated territory cumes include UK ($56.3M, No. 2 outside North America), China ($40M, No. 3), Australia ($26.1M, No. 5), France ($25.5M, No. 6), Spain ($17.4M, No. 8), Korea ($17.3M, No. 9) and Argentina ($16M, No. 10).
RELATED: The 30 Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Global Box Office
4.) Minions & Monsters (Uni) 80 territories $61M WW weekend ($39.8M int’l $21.1M dom), Total $281M WW ($172.1M int’l, $108.9M dom)/Wk 3
The guys obsessed with bananas opened in eight CIS markets led by Kazakhstan with $488K at 95 sites. Overall take for the region was $800,000 at 416 screens. China lead the sequel’s holdover territories, with the pic’s cume there now $32.4M, surpassing the lifetimes of both Super Mario movies, Elemental and Moana 2. Mexico made $3M, -33% in weekend dos for a No. 3 rank and a running total of $10.6M. Australia’s third weekend boosted by school holidays is $2.6M, -6%, for a No. 3 rank behind Moana and Toy Story 5. Near $12M running cume. France’s second weekend was $2.5M, -9%, ranking third behind Moana and Toy Story 5, the cume now at $13.4M. Germany’s second weekend is $2.2M, ranking second behind the opening of Moana, with a $10.2M running total. UK’s second frame was $2.1M, -54%, ranking No. 3 behind Moana and Toy Story 5 and a cume near $10M. Spain’s second frame is $1.6M in No. 2 behind Moana, -43%, for a $7.8M cume. Brazil posted a second weekend of $1.6M, +17% due to no World Cup but third behind Toy Story 5 and Moana. Italy’s second frame of Gru’s henchmen was $1.4M, a solid No. 1 and a running cume of $5.5M. Moana doesn’t surf in until mid-August.
5.) (WB/Sony/StudioCanal) $27M WW weekend ($13.3M int’l, $13.7M dom)/Wk 1
Sony has foreign except StudioCanal has UK ($1.2M opening), France ($850K) and Russia. American horror works in India, with the country leading all territories with $1.5M. Upcoming major markets are Spain, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.
6.) Obsession (Uni), 76 territories $12M WW weekend ($8.2M int’l, $3.8M dom), $426.7M WW ($173.3M int’l, $253.3M dom)/Wk 9
Among the big holds is Germany with a third weekend of $1.6M and a running cume of $8.6M. Nikki and Bear set their sights on Japan on Friday.
7.) Dhamaal 4 (18 territories, $9.1M WW weekend ($8.7M int’l, $467K dom)/Wk 1
The Hindi-language adventure comedy is directed by Indra Kumar. Pic’s blurb: a group of eccentric, money-hungry misfits racing against each other to find a mythical treasure hidden on a remote island encounter a bumbling crew of modern pirates searching for the treasure as well. The first 2007 title did $10.3M in India, with 2011’s Double Dhamaal posting the same, and 2019’s Total Dhamaal even more with $22.2M (all unadjusted for inflation and currency swings).
8.) The Invite (A24) 23 territories, $8.1M WW weekend ($2.3M Int’l, $5.8M dom), Total $12.8M WW ($5.3M int’l, $7.5M dom)
9.) Backrooms (A24) 52 territories, $7.4M WW weekend ($6M int’l, $1.43M dom) Total $375.5M WW ($181.5 int’l, $194.1M dom)/Wk 7
China fueled its third weekend, a No. 4 placing with $3.2M with a running cume of $21.8M in its third frame.
10.) Supergirl (WB) 81 territories, $7.1M WW weekend ($3.4M int’l, $3.76M dom), Total $115.6M WW (int’l $49.4M, $66.2M domestic)/Wk 3
