MUMBAI: The foreign theatrical circuit got a surprise at the weekend as Taken 2 released in 50 overseas markets, generated an estimated $55.2 million.
The sequel to 2008‘s kidnapping thriller, Taken 2 roped in $39.2 million from 28 offshore territories handled by Twentieth Century Fox and an estimated $16 million from 22 markets handled by Luc Besson‘s EuropaCorp, the film‘s co-producer.
The action title reprises Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssens as co-stars. It began its international run last round in South Korea and currently stands as Fox‘s biggest release of the year in that market with a total of $13.8 million.
Taken 2 opened No. 1 in at least a dozen foreign territories including the U.K. ($12.1 million including previews at 807 sites), Australia ($8.2 million at 365 locales, Fox‘s biggest market opening of 2012) and Mexico ($2.55 million at 761 situations). In France via EuropaCorp, it took the No. 1 spot by generating $8.4 million at some 480 spots.
The film opens this week in another eight markets via Fox including Italy and Greece. EuropaCorp will open the picture in Germany.
Looper, last week‘s No. 1 foreign title, opened over the weekend in six markets - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania and Denmark. The No. 6 Germany bow generated an estimated $1.25 million (including previews) from some 329 locations. In Austria, the film opened No. 5, grossing an estimated $85,000 from 29 sites while the film‘s Denmark bow elicited $131,000, according to Filmnation Entertainment, which is handling Looper‘s foreign distribution.
The time-traveling thriller directed and written by Rian Johnson‘s and - Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis grossed an estimated $2.7 million in its second round in the U.K. sufficient enough for a No. 2 market ranking. It finished at the 4th spot in its second Australia round when it registered an estimated $1.8 million at 217 situations.
After 18 frames on the foreign circuit, DreamWorks Animation‘s Madagascar 3: Europe‘s Most Wanted continues to move on generating $23.3 million over the weekend at 2,453 locations in 29 markets. A No. 1 opening in Germany accounted for the higher gross this round, contributing $15.4 million from 740 venues.