MUMBAI: After logging its biggest overseas weekend to date grossing $95.2 million from 14,131 venues in 64 markets, 20th Century Fox‘s Ice Age: Continental Drift reclaimed the No. 1 foreign box office position as it out-did The Amazing Spider-Man.
The Blue Sky Studio‘s sequel is the fourth title in the increasingly remunerative computer animation franchise that has grossed $1.918 billion worldwide over the last 10 years.
Continental Drift‘s weekend was the third best ever for the franchise and the film‘s foreign gross total stands at $339.2 million accumulated since 25 June exceeding the figure of $270.1 millionof Madagascar 3: Europe‘s Most Wanted.
Driving its weekend box office action were openings in 18 markets including a powerful No. 1 debut in Russia where the film generated an astounding $16.4 million at 2,090 sites, the biggest market opening weekend of the year. The UK came up with $9.1 million from 1,246 spots for a market total of of $20.8 million.
The film took the top spot in its second Germany with $12.4 million at 1,214 play dates for a total of $33.6 million. In France, it remained No. 1 with $7 million generated at 1,019 spots for a market cume of $34.3 million. In all, the animation title ranked No. 1 in at least 30 territories.
The weekend‘s No. 2, Sony‘s The Amazing Spider-Man -- fourth in the blockbuster series, that has racked up $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office generated $66.6 million at 16,575 venues in 87 markets, for a foreign gross total accumulated since June 27 of $320.4 million.
Unlike Continental Drift, the film premiered in several medium-to-small markets including Norway, South Africa, Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania. Spider-Man retained No. 1 holds in such larger territories as Mexico (cume $19.6 million), Brazil ($17.5 million) and India ($13.3 million). Top territory was the U.K. where it took the weekend‘s No. 2 spot with $6 million drawn from 911 situations for market cume of $29.5 million.
The overseas numbers posted by The Amazing Spider-Man and Ice Age: Continental Drift strengthen the odds that the "big six" Hollywood majors will set another foreign box office record in calendar year 2012. The current yearly high-water mark was set last year when the companies collectively drew $13.6 billion from the offshore theatrical circuit.