Around-the-World Brief: 'Rio' Reigns Again, 'Fast Five,' 'Thor' Duke It Out in Australia

Boxofficemojo.com

At the foreign box office, Rio ruled for the third weekend in a row, while Fast Five and Thor were unleashed, aiming to gain some pre-summer traction and positive headlines prior to their domestic releases.

Rio raked in $44.3 million in 66 markets, propelling its foreign haul to $206 million. It boasted the industry's highest-grossing third weekends ever in Brazil ($6.9 million) and Peru ($831,000), and it maintained pole position in at least 22 markets. Brazil was again its top-grossing market, and business was down only four percent there. Among the rest of the contributors, France was a distant second with $3.9 million, followed by Mexico ($3.1 million). Rio's the first 2011 release to reach $200 million internationally. Add in its domestic haul, and Rio's now by far the biggest 2011 movie worldwide so far at $286.8 million, followed by Rango ($236 million).

Debuting at No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, Fast Five clocked an estimated $24 million (including pre-weekend play), out-grossing the starts of the previous Fast and Furious movies in those four markets. Australia led the way, contributing $8.3 million ($10.7 million total), which exceeded Fast and Furious's $5.8 million debut two years ago. In the U.K., Fast Five nabbed an estimated $8.8 million, which improved on Fast and Furious's $7.2 million launch. Fast Five nearly tripled Fast and Furious's debut in Korea, drawing an estimated $3.4 million. Fast Five also saw a big boost over its predecessor in New Zealand, claiming an estimated $950,000.

Fast and Furious, which also had an April start, ultimately pulled in close to $200 million overseas. Next weekend, Fast Five rolls into ten more territories, including Russia, Germany and Spain, and, on the following weekend, it's scheduled to strike Latin America, Asia and the remainder of Europe.

In advance of its May 6 domestic start, Thor entered Australia and was trumped by Fast Five, but it still found some reason to chest-beat. The Marvel Comics adaptation scored an estimated $5.8 million, which was on par with the opening grosses of Clash of the Titans (2010) last April and the first Iron Man (both of which closed in the high teen millions). It also topped X-Men Origins: Wolverine's $4.8 million launch, and it thrashed The Incredible Hulk's $1.9 million. Next weekend, Thor will strike the rest of the world, the notable exception being Japan, which will wait until July 2.

Meanwhile, Hop ranked third for the weekend with an estimated $10.7 million, growing its total to $47.2 million. It added ten new territories, including Brazil, where it was thoroughly overshadowed by Rio and grabbed $1 million.