‘Titanic’ 3D Posts China’s Best Box-Office Bow Ever at $58M

The “Titanic” rerelease in 3D bows to $58 million in the best opening ever in China. Universal’s early foreign rollout of “Battleship” pays off

The 3D rerelease of "Titanic" recorded the best box office opening ever in China this weekend, claiming $58 million for international distributor Fox.

Universal got some good news, too. It opened its pricey "Battleship" in 26 territories — not including China — and took in $58 million. That represents a pretty good payoff on the studio's early overseas opening strategy. The movie will roll out in the U.S. on May 18.

Also read: 'Battleship' Lines Up $50M in Promotional Partnerships With Coke, Nestle

The huge China opening for "Titanic" and receipts from 69 other territories upped the global haul in its second overseas weekend to $88.2 million. That gives James Cameron's epic $190.8 million worldwide from a rerelease timed to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the ship's sinking.

The previous record for an opening in China was set last year, when "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" opened to $55 million on its way to a $145 million haul in that country. "Titanic" played at 3,500 locations.

With a $1.84 billion gross from its original release, “Titanic” now stands at $2.03 billion worldwide. That's second to only one film — Cameron's 2009 movie "Avatar," which has taken in $2.8 billion.

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