'Signs' Shines at Overseas Box Office
SYDNEY (Variety) -- Mel Gibson's army of admirers flocked to "Signs" in Australia and Argentina. M. Night Shyamalan's "Signs" conjured up $2.2 million Down Under. Disney's fourth highest premiere of all time, the four-day figure was 54% bigger than the writer/helmer's "Unbreakable," but 20% below "The Sixth Sense." In Argentina, "Signs" harvested $407,000, a Disney record in local currency (toppling "Unbreakable"). In its second turns, the Gibson starrer eased by just 19% in New Zealand, mustering $550,000 to date, but plunged by 48% in South Korea, tallying $2.9 million, and by 60% in Hong Kong, totaling $900,000. In its first offshore tryout in the UK, "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams" trapped $1.6 million, including previews -- no great shakes, but on par with the original's entry. "Austin Powers in Goldmember" hit $30.7 million in its fourth jaunt in the U.K., bowed in Hong Kong (not one of the franchise's strong territories) with a mild $264,000, and stumbled in Malaysia. "Scooby-Doo" climbed to $92.1 million overseas after collaring a tame $1.3 million in Japan and a top-ranked $226,000 in Russia. The canine caper has fetched a tasty $8.3 million through its third outing in Mexico. Boosted by the Obon vacation in Japan, "Ice Age" snowballed to $10.3 million in its third adventure, and its international total ascended to $182.9 million. "Lilo & Stitch" charmed audiences in the Philippines, drawing $235,000, bigger than "Monsters, Inc." and "Atlantis." Its foreign total reached $54.5 million with plenty of upside, as it's yet to play in Australia, Scandinavia, the UK and Japan. "Return to Neverland" alighted in France with a decent $1.2 million; Disney's toon has picked up $23.9 million, with Japan still to come.
SYDNEY (Variety) -- Mel Gibson's army of admirers flocked to "Signs" in Australia and Argentina. M. Night Shyamalan's "Signs" conjured up $2.2 million Down Under. Disney's fourth highest premiere of all time, the four-day figure was 54% bigger than the writer/helmer's "Unbreakable," but 20% below "The Sixth Sense." In Argentina, "Signs" harvested $407,000, a Disney record in local currency (toppling "Unbreakable"). In its second turns, the Gibson starrer eased by just 19% in New Zealand, mustering $550,000 to date, but plunged by 48% in South Korea, tallying $2.9 million, and by 60% in Hong Kong, totaling $900,000. In its first offshore tryout in the UK, "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams" trapped $1.6 million, including previews -- no great shakes, but on par with the original's entry. "Austin Powers in Goldmember" hit $30.7 million in its fourth jaunt in the U.K., bowed in Hong Kong (not one of the franchise's strong territories) with a mild $264,000, and stumbled in Malaysia. "Scooby-Doo" climbed to $92.1 million overseas after collaring a tame $1.3 million in Japan and a top-ranked $226,000 in Russia. The canine caper has fetched a tasty $8.3 million through its third outing in Mexico. Boosted by the Obon vacation in Japan, "Ice Age" snowballed to $10.3 million in its third adventure, and its international total ascended to $182.9 million. "Lilo & Stitch" charmed audiences in the Philippines, drawing $235,000, bigger than "Monsters, Inc." and "Atlantis." Its foreign total reached $54.5 million with plenty of upside, as it's yet to play in Australia, Scandinavia, the UK and Japan. "Return to Neverland" alighted in France with a decent $1.2 million; Disney's toon has picked up $23.9 million, with Japan still to come.