Fighter In $25M Global Box Office Bow; Aquaman 2, Migration Milestones – Deadline

Refresh for latest…: We’re still in a holdover pattern for Hollywood at the global and international box office, though milestones continue to be reached on an offshore and worldwide basis for existing releases. Meanwhile, Anyone But You saw an uptick overseas and drops were good for others (including newly-minted Oscar nominees). One new local entry, India’s Fighter, flew to the top of the global weekend chart. 

Among the latest Hollywood titles to hit a new benchmark, Miramax’s The Beekeeper buzzed past the $100M mark worldwide, Illumination/Universal’s Migration flew across $200M and Warner Bros/DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom topped $400M (see more detail below).  

In significant new local play, Viacom 18/Marflix’s Hindi aviation actioner Fighter, from Pathaan director Siddharth Anand and starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, is looking at a $25.1M start globally (including $4.3M from North America), per comScore. As ever, concrete box office data out of India is difficult to pinpoint early in the process, but our sources have it at an estimated 120 crore ($14.4M) from India following a weekend that included the Republic Day holiday. In IMAX, Fighter generated $1.4M globally from 150 screens in 15 markets. With $575K on 27 in India, this is the format’s 4th biggest start for a local title there.

After topping $100M global last weekend, to become the highest-grossing R-rated romcom worldwide since Bridget Jones’s Baby in 2016, Sony’s Anyone But You jumped by 3% internationally this session. The frame was good for $14.2M in 48 markets. That brings the offshore cume to $55.4M and worldwide to $126.6M. 

Italy opened to a strong $1.2M, the highest debut for a romcom in the market since 2016 and director Will Gluck’s biggest opening of all time. Germany held the No. 1 spot in its 2nd frame, jumping 17%. Mexico’s sophomore session was also up over the launch (+18%). In Australia, the Sydney Sweeney/Glen Powell-starrer is still No. 1 after five frames. 

The Top 5 markets to date are Australia ($12.3M), UK ($10.6M), Germany ($5.6M), Mexico ($3.6M) and Netherlands ($3.1M).

Miramax’s The Beekeeper added $10.9M from 58 overseas markets in the session, taking the international cume to $61.9M and with global reaching $103.9M. In like-for-likes (excluding China and Russia), the Jason Statham-starrer is running 24% ahead of Wrath of Man, 32% above Plane and 30% over the first John Wick. The IMAX total is $8M worldwide. 

Searchlight’s Poor Things expanded into several new markets this session, and following on from its 11 Oscar nominations grossed $10M in 36 total. The running overseas cume is $26.3M for $51.1M global. The international drop was just 21% with great holds in Australia (+38%), Germany (+3%), Switzerland (+1%), Poland (+1%), Austria (-4%), Denmark (-5%), Belgium (-13%), Greece (-20%), France (-28%) and UK (-37%).

New launches included Spain at No. 1 with $900K, 37% ahead of director Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. It was also the No. 1 non-local opener in Italy ($2.1M) and Japan ($700K incl previews). In Mexico, the $1.6M start including previews was the 2nd biggest opening ever for a Searchlight title, behind only The Shape of Water. It was the best opening for a Lanthimos film in all new markets. Still on deck to release are Brazil and Korea. 

Here are the Top 5 to date: UK ($6.4M), Greece ($2.8M), France ($2.1M), Italy ($2.1M) and Australia ($2M).

Other films to see an Oscar noms halo include Universal/Focus’ The Holdovers which dipped by just 14% in its, well, holdover markets. The current $11.9M overseas cume in 28 markets is more than double Nebraska and Licorice Pizza at the same point, and in line with Lady Bird. 

Fresh off of its leading 13 Oscar noms, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer officially re-released this weekend in an estimated 2,700+ overseas locations, including over 1,000 IMAX sites. The Universal film added $348K on Saturday, taking the total offshore cume to $627.3M and pushing it ahead of Jurassic World Dominion ($627M) to become Universal’s 8th biggest film of all time at the international box office (we will have the full international and global weekend figures tomorrow). In IMAX through Sunday, it’s estimated Oppenheimer has reached $187M worldwide.

Warner Bros/Village Roadshow/Heyday Films’ Wonka rolled up another $7.8M in 77 markets this weekend, dipping just 33%. The overseas cume is $356.9M with $552M global. The final market to release is Korea, on Wednesday this week. 

Tops to date are: UK ($75.7M), France ($28.7M), Mexico ($26M), Australia ($24.5M) and Germany ($22.9M). 

Warner Bros/DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has now topped $400M worldwide after six weeks of play. The weekend was worth $7M from 78 offshore markets for an overseas cume of $294.6M and a global tally of $412.7M. China leads all play at $61.7M, followed by Mexico ($21.8M), France ($19.2M), Germany ($16.1M) and Brazil ($15.1M). 

Migration winged to another $5.2M in 76 markets (-27%) to top $100M internationally ($104.9M) and $200M global ($206.1M). Germany continues to perform strongly on the animated title, now having surpassed the lifetime of The Boss Baby, and performing above Puss in Boots 2, Moana and Sing 2 at the same point. That market leads all play with $16.1M, followed by France ($10.6M), Australia ($9.6M), Mexico ($8.3M) and Spain ($4.9M).

Still to come for Migration are the UK on February 2 and Japan on March 15.

In China, local hit Johnny Keep Walking! has reached an estimated RMB 1.09B ($152M)

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLEMean Girls (PAR): $4.3M intl weekend (22 markets); $22.6M intl cume/$83.4M global Wish (DIS): $4.2M intl weekend (51 markets); $176.3M intl cume/$239.8M globalThe Holdovers (UNI): $3.3M intl weekend (28 markets); $11.9M intl cume/$31.2M globalThe Color Purple (WB): $1.7M intl weekend (12 markets); $2.2M intl cume/$62.2M globalNight Swim (UNI): $828K intl weekend (47 markets); $14.7M intl cume/$41.5M global