Box Office: 3D is Hot Overseas, Especially in Europe

While they didn’t do big 3D business in the States, films including “Thor,”Pirates 4,” “Cars 2” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” received well over half their box office revenue in Europe from the format

Daniel Frankel

July 4, 2011 @ 5:16 PM

While the domestic box office is sputtering when it comes to 3D, the weekend performance of “Transformers 3” not withstanding, the format is hot abroad, particularly in Europe.

According to data released by 3D technology services company RealD Monday, about 70 percent of the international box office revenue for the Marvel/Paramount release of “Thor” came from 3D ticket sales.

In Europe, “Thor’s” 3D revenue accounted for nearly 80 percent of total box office.

For Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the breakdown is 67 percent of total foreign box office for 3D, with Europe at nearly 70 percent, according to RealD.

About 60 percent of total foreign box office revenue for DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” came from 3D, with Europe at 67 percent.

And for Disney’s “Cars 2,” the breakdown was 53 percent for the total interational market, but 68 percent for Europe.

The U.S. market for 3D has been much cooler, with each of the aforementioned films grossing less than 50 percent of its opening revenue through 3D engagements.

However, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” just came off a one-week opening with a 3D performance in the U.S. and Canada of nearly 60 percent.

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