Following its initial offshore release in Korea, director Bong Joon-ho's latest sci-fi film, Mickey 17, has seen a significant expansion into international markets. Warner Bros has launched the film in an additional 66 international box office hubs this weekend, contributing to a robust international box office performance.
Over the weekend, Mickey 17 garnered an impressive $24.5 million from its expanded overseas debut, aligning closely with pre-weekend projections. This addition brings the international total to an estimated $34.2 million to date. When combined with its domestic earnings, the film's global weekend total reached $43.6 million, resulting in a cumulative worldwide total of $53.3 million.
The film represents a substantial investment and is expected to be a major player in the sci-fi genre. Notably, it marked Bong Joon-ho's best opening across 59 international markets, including nearly all of Europe and Latin America, with the exception of Norway. In 25 of these markets, Mickey 17 claimed the title of the No. 1 U.S. film, including in China, where local blockbuster Ne Zha 2 continues to dominate the box office.
During its wider launch, France emerged as a strong market for Mickey 17, contributing $2.9 million, closely following Korea, which has accumulated $14.6 million so far. Other significant markets include the UK ($2.7 million), Germany ($1.3 million), and Mexico ($1.3 million). The film is still set to release in Japan, Poland, Vietnam, and several smaller markets, indicating potential for further earnings.
In IMAX theaters, Mickey 17 has made $6.3 million, accounting for nearly 12% of its global total, showcasing the film's appeal among audiences seeking an immersive viewing experience.
In addition to Mickey 17, Marvel and Disney's Captain America: Brave New World added $9.2 million from 52 overseas markets, bringing its international total to $194.2 million and a worldwide total of $370.8 million after four weekends. The film experienced a 53% drop in offshore earnings, though it held up well in key markets like Brazil and Spain, with drops of only 25% and 28% respectively.
The top five markets contributing to Captain America's success include the UK ($21.2 million), Mexico ($14.5 million), China ($14.3 million), France ($12.8 million), and Korea ($11.2 million). The Walt Disney Studios is on track to surpass $1 billion at the global box office in 2025, thanks to strong performances from multiple releases including Captain America and upcoming titles like Mufasa and Moana.
Universal and Working Title's Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy has also performed well, collecting another $7.9 million from 75 international markets in its fourth session. The film has surpassed $100 million at the international box office, with a current overseas total of $103.8 million, which increases to over $110 million when including figures from Studiocanal in France.
The UK remains a stronghold for the film, with a cumulative total of $51.1 million. Other top markets include Australia ($8.6 million), the Netherlands ($5 million), Poland ($4.8 million), and Germany ($4.1 million).
From Universal, Wicked made its debut in Japan this weekend, opening at No. 2 with $3.7 million, trailing behind the local title Doraemon: Nobita. This opening is notably higher than the three-day openings for other major films such as Wonka and Barbie, and has contributed to a rising international cume of $261 million, with a global total of $733.8 million.
Turning to Ne Zha 2, this animated blockbuster has topped $2 billion at the Chinese box office, making history as the first film to achieve this milestone in a single market. According to Maoyan, the estimated gross in China is approximately RMB 14.66 billion (around $2.028 billion). When including estimated earnings from releases outside of China, the worldwide total rises to approximately $2.059 billion.
Ne Zha 2 not only surpassed global earnings of $2 billion but also ranks as the sixth highest-grossing film of all time, overtaking Avengers: Infinity War. As presales continue to thrive in China, projections indicate that it could reach RMB 15 billion ($2.075 billion), potentially positioning it as the fifth highest-grossing film in history.
In Oscar news, last weekend's Best Picture winner, Anora, saw a significant increase in overseas play, earning $3.1 million across 53 markets, a staggering 435% increase. The international total for Anora now stands at $18.7 million, while FilmNation markets contribute an additional $9.1 million, leading to a global total of $46.2 million.
The film has experienced remarkable growth in various markets, including a 670% increase in Italy, 1859% in Spain, and 1072% in Korea, showcasing the impact of the Academy Awards on box office performance.
