The minions of “Despicable Me 2 edged the monsters of Guillermo del Toro‘s “Pacific Rim” at the international box office over the weekend, just as they did Stateside.
The animated family film brought in $55.5 million from 50 markets in its second week, to raise its international total to $243 million, almost double the number that the original “Despicable Me” brought in during the same period of time in the same territories.
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At the same time, Warner Bros.’ monsters-vs.-giant robots epic grossed $53 million from just 38 markets in its first weekend abroad. Warner Bros is counting on a big international performance from "Pacific Rim," which should get a boost from Del Toro's significant international following, to help offset its $180 million budget.
Korea was the top market for "Pacific Rim" with $9.6 million. It was also No. 1 in Russia, where it brought in $9.3 million, and added $5.3 million in Del Toro's native Mexico.
This weekend represents roughly half of its foreign rollout, and it will debut in France and Germany next week and in China on July 31, so an eventual international total of $300 million is within range.
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Combined with its domestic weekend gross of $44.8 million, the worldwide total for “Despicable Me 2” was just more than $100 million, and its overall global gross is now $472 million. With its $38.3 million domestic haul added in, the worldwide total for “Pacific Rim” was north of $91 million this weekend.
Disney's "Monsters University" was third internationally, adding $30.2 million from 46 territories. That gave it a total of $236.4 million from overseas, and a global total of nearly $475 million after four weeks.
The news wasn't as good for the studio's $225 million Johnny Depp–Armie Hammer Western "The Lone Ranger," which brought in $12.6 million from 34 foreign markets and now has a global total of $119 millon after two weeks.
It was easily beaten out for fifth internationally this weekend by Paramount's "World War Z." Brad Pitt's zombie thriller took in $22.4 million from 46 markets this week and is up to $423 million globally, $246 million of which has come from foreign.