SUNDAY UPDATE, writethru: Landing in line with Saturday’s projections, Universal’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw got off the starting block with an estimated $120M at the international box office. When including domestic, the global cume through Sunday is $180.8M. Across 63 offshore opening markets, the Dwayne Johnson/Jason Statham-starrer rocked up No. 1s in 52.

The start is the 3rd best in the Fast & Furious franchise. In like-for-like markets and at today’s exchange rates, it’s 1% ahead of FF6 and 43% below each of the last two films (which bowed during Easter). In unadjusted dollars, H&S’ launch is 22% above last year’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout. As a spinoff, H&S wasn’t expected to play like a Fast & Furious title — it doesn’t inherently have the same draw of a massive multi-cultural cast fronted by the Dominic Toretto gang. Fallout, though not a spinoff, has lined up as a decent comp given the summer date, recurring characters and amped-up action.

On Saturday, the David Leitch-directed H&S jumped 27% over the Friday. There was some concentrated action in South East Asia, as anticipated. Overall, Russia led play with $8.2M and in line with FF6. Other No. 1 debuts included the UK ($7.8M with previews), Indonesia ($7.7M including biggest opening day for a Uni title), India ($7.4M), Mexico ($7M), Taiwan ($6.2M), Australia ($4.9M) and Malaysia ($4.7M).

With China, France, Italy and Korea still to come on H&S, it’s early to put a multiple on the movie. It has a fairly clear runway ahead, and just as domestic audience reaction has been positive, so has anecdotal feedback from overseas. Further intel from offshore exits will crystallize on Monday, helping to indicate how word of mouth will play into playability.

Without some key majors this frame, $120M is a solid start. But factoring into why the offshore and global figures came in slightly under initial projections is how crowded the summer has been, with all-audience moviegoers already having splashed out more than usual, one distribution source opined. (As Anthony has noted, the spinoff cost an estimated $200M, and with P&A, $360M. It is expected to be profitable with the home entertainment window.)

Spinoffs can be a tricky proposition. But comping to those of some recent major franchises in like-for-likes and at today’s dollars, H&S’ international opening is 3% off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, 1% down on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, 129% above Bumblebee and 163% over Men In Black: International. What makes this somewhat skewed is that none of those films featured major (non-robot) characters from their core pictures.

Looking at H&S’ 43% drop from F8 versus other spinoff drops, Bumblebee’s dip from the previous Transformers title was 36% and Fantastic Beasts saw a 31% drop from the final Harry Potter movie.

The $180.8M global debut is Universal’s 5th biggest ever, behind The Fate of the Furious, Jurassic World, Furious 7 and Fifty Shades Of Grey. It’s also the biggest worldwide launch of 2019 for a non-Disney, non-superhero film; and the best start outside of the main Fast & Furious franchise for Johnson and Statham.

In IMAX, H&S did $8M global, including $5.1M from 356 offshore screens. Also for IMAX, Chinese hit Ne Zha has now grossed over $20M in the format to become its biggest animated movie ever in the Middle Kingdom. In overall China play, Ne Zha on Friday passed Zootopia to become the No. 1 animated title of all time locally, and has made an estimated $340M through Sunday. It is also, based on Sunday estimates, the No. 1 international movie this weekend, slightly above H&S which goes to China on August 23. While day-and-date is always nice, this session was a fortunate one to avoid for the Hollywood pic.

In other play, Disney’s The Lion King lapped up another $72M overseas for a $1.196B worldwide cume before heading to Japan and Italy this month. Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 4 is getting closer to the $1B threshold, now with $959.3M global.

Turning back to Universal, Illumination’s The Secret Life Of Pets 2 will soon cross $200M internationally, after opening in Korea and France this session. And, Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum passed the $150M mark overseas this week to lift global to $320M+.

Along with Hobbs & Shaw muscling into France and Italy this coming weekend, Sony’s Quentin Tarantino pic Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, and also The Angry Birds Movie 2, will begin limited offshore debuts.

In the meantime, breakdowns on the films above and more have been updated below.

NEW

FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW

Universal Pictures Universal’s Hobbs & Shaw came in slightly lower than where the industry had it pre-opening, but nevertheless is off to a solid overseas start at $120M from 63 markets that don’t include such majors as China, Korea, Italy and France. In like-for-likes (unadjusted from last year) the spinoff came in 22% ahead of Mission: Impossible – Fallout which ultimately rolled up to a $571M international final. China was the lead market on Fallout, and the F&F movies (as well as H&S stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham) excel there where Hobbs & Shaw should be breathing a sigh of relief to have not gone up against local smash Ne Zha this weekend.

China, where Johnson and Statham travel this week, will ultimately be a swing for H&S, but it’s still early to call an overall offshore multiple based on the current markets that went this weekend. Still, there’s runway ahead and feedback has so far been positive.

It’s a solid start that garnered strong interest from various offshore pockets including South East Asia and European majors. Mexico also had a No. 1 start while Brazil was a No. 2 with The Lion King still dominant.

As detailed above, H&S is faring well versus spinoff comps. In like-for-likes and at today’s rates, its opening is just 3% behind Fantastic Beasts (62% ahead of follow-up The Crimes Of Grindlewald) and 129% above Bumblebee, which, to be fair, was aimed at a younger (and more female) demo than the Transformers’ faithful. In unadjusted rates, H&S’ bow versus other titles is 11% behind Deadpool and 43% over Suicide Squad, according to estimates.

Digging into some of the individual No. 1 opening markets on H&S, Russia ($8.2M/1,766 sites) is the 5th biggest Uni summer opening; the UK ($7.85M/610) is in line with Fallout; Indonesia ($7.7M/365) is only behind Fate Of The Furious in the franchise; India ($7.4M/1,720) is the 2nd best Hollywood debut of the year, above Fallout and in line with the last two F&F films; Mexico ($7M/907) is above Fallout; Taiwan ($6.2M/101) is the 2nd biggest opening of the year; Malaysia ($4.7M/156) is the 2nd best August debut ever; the Middle East ($4.1M/70) is the best-ever in the F&F series and for Universal; and Vietnam ($3.17M/187) scored Uni and the franchise’s best start.

Other No. 1 markets include Australia, UAE, Thailand, Spain, Hong Kong, Colombia, Singapore, Peru, New Zealand, Israel, Ukraine, Turkey and Austria.

No. 2 debuts were seen in Japan ($6.6M) where local title Weathering With You is dominating, Germany ($5.45M), Brazil ($3.9M), Netherlands ($2.18M) and Philippines ($2.2M).

Still to come are France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland this coming week, followed by Korea on August 14 and China on August 23.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS

THE LION KING

Walt Disney Studios After passing the $1B global mark earlier this week, Disney’s The Lion King is still singing Hakuna Matata overseas. The current frame was worth $72M in 53 offshore markets for a $764.9M international cume to date and $1,195.8M globally.

There were no new markets added this frame (next weekend TLK strides into Japan, then has Italy join later in the month).

Europe as a region dropped 45% with No. 1 holds in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK (in the latter looking at the 3-day versus previews included for Hobbs & Shaw). The estimated regional cume is now $341M, making The Lion King the 5th highest grossing Disney-branded live-action film ever. In the Netherlands, TLK has become the highest-grossing Disney film ever.

Among notable Europe holds were in Finland (+32%), Denmark (+6%), Germany (-8%), Sweden (-13%), Netherlands (-16%), Belgium (-22%), Norway (-23%), Czech Rep (-25%), Austria & Poland (-33%), Israel (-42%), Hungary, Portugal and South Africa (-43%).

The Latin America cume is now an estimated $158M. Simba was still tops in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela this session. The Lion King also now has bragging rights as the highest grossing Disney-branded live-action film in the region and in each of its markets. In Brazil, it’s become the 3rd highest grossing film ever. It is also the 5th highest grossing film in Mexico and Peru.

In Asia Pacific, the total is now an estimated $266M, led by China with $119M.

Here are the Top 5 markets: China ($119M), UK ($62.4M), Brazil ($54.6M), France ($51.9M) and Mexico ($45.6M).

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2

Universal Illumination/Universal’s sequel opened in Korea ($4.2M) and France ($3.7M) this weekend, adding a total $12.9M in 51 overseas markets for an international cume of $198.6M. It will pass $200M this week and has a $354M global gross to date. The final key markets of Spain and Mexico are on deck for the coming frame. This is not the phenom the initial movie was, but will still be quite profitable off a thrifty production cost.

In Korea, the No. 3 start at 449 sites is above Sing, and scored the best opening day for an animated title in the market. France, where Illumination movies tend to excel given the local relationship, it was nevertheless a No. 2 start from 767 locations (Lion King has been overindexing here).

Holds elsewhere were strong: Germany was down 17% in weekend 6 with a cume to date of $16.4M; Japan dipped 34% for a cute of $7.1M; Netherlands fell 17% to total $4.6M so far; and Denmark blasted upwards by 109% for a $2.3M tally.

TOY STORY 4

Disney In its 7th weekend, Disney/Pixar’s fourquel added $10.2M from 36 overseas markets. The international cume is now $549.2M for $959.3M as it makes its way towards $1B.

Regional cumes include Latin America’s $194M for the top animated release ever. In Mexico, Forky just trashed records to become the No. 1 film ever in terms of admissions.

The Asia Pacific gross is a combined $189M. In Europe, it’s $166M with top holds this session seen in Israel (-18%), Netherlands (-28%), Middle East (-32%), Belgium (-33%) and Russia (-37%).

Also notable, TS4 is now the 3rd biggest animated movie ever in the UK.

Top 5 through Sunday: Mexico ($71.5M), UK ($69.6M), Japan ($62M), Brazil ($32.2M) and China ($29.1M).

Germany has still to open, on August 15.

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

Sony Sony/Marvel’s latest Spidey caught another $9.5M in its offshore web this weekend from 8,600+ screens in 67 markets. The overseas cume thus lifts to $715M for a global total of $1.08B.

All markets have released on the 2nd biggest Sony title ever, led by China ($205.2M), Korea ($58.8M), UK ($41.2M), Mexico ($31.6M) and Brazil ($27.6M).

UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE

Paramount Aladdin (DIS): $4M intl weekend (28 markets); $675.2M intl cume ($1,025.6M global)

Yesterday (UNI): $2.3M intl weekend (32 markets); $51M intl cume ($118.9M global)

Crawl (PAR): $1.5M intl weekend (30 markets); $17.6M intl cume ($53.7M global)

Avengers: Endgame (DIS): $200K intl weekend (13 markets); $1,937.1M intl cume ($2,794.5M global)

NEW LOCAL-LANGUAGE

Chinese firefighter drama The Bravest opened to a local estimate of $82M after bowing on Army Day this past Thursday. It was no match, however, for continuing animated title Ne Zha which has now grossed over $340M in the market and doesn’t seem to be slowing.

Elsewhere, Sony’s Spanish title Padre No Hay Mas Que Uno (Father There Is Only One), debuted in Spain to $1.8M from 429 screens. This is the biggest opening this year for a local film and boosts SPRI’s 2019 box office in Spain for local titles to $26M and a 60% market share. Helmed by and starring Spanish director Santiago Segura, Padre No Hay Más Que Uno centers on a father faced with the chaotic reality of caring for his five children when his wife goes on a trip and leaves them all alone.

SATURDAY UPDATE: Universal’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw has now been unleashed in 63 offshore markets, clocking another $27.3M on Friday, and estimated to ramp up to $90M through today at the international box office. The David Leitch-directed film looks poised for a $120.7M overseas opening weekend which would put the global launch at about $180.7M including domestic. These are early numbers which could have some upside. Abroad, the film is skewing to young males who may show up tonight to increase the projection.

The offshore and global H&S estimates through Sunday are coming in slightly under where we had them pre-opening, but close to the range we’d heard. The movie has garnered a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and was given an A- from CinemaScore as well as having positive feedback overseas, but this is a crowded summer around the world.

And yet, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham are expected to banter to No. 1s in 53 of the 63 debut markets. South East Asia, as anticipated, is the strongest region for H&S and is close to the debuts of Fast & Furious 7 and The Fate Of The Furious, even beating them in some cases. H&S is currently behind holdover The Lion King in Mexico and Brazil, and running close for No. 1s in some of the big European markets. In the UK, TLK is expected to reign.

Versus last year’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, a decent comp given the summer date, recurring characters and amped-up action, H&S is revving higher in like-for-likes. As we noted in our global preview, the movie is not a direct comp to the Fast & Furious franchise and doesn’t inherently have the same draw of a massive multi-cultural cast fronted by the Dominic Toretto gang. It is, however, on track for the 3rd best start of the series in like-for-like markets and at today’s exchange rates. The estimated Sunday final of $120.7M would be 2% ahead of F6, 42% below F7 and 43% under F8.

If the global estimates hold, H&S will be Universal’s 5th highest worldwide opening ever, behind F8, Jurassic World, F7 and Fifty Shades Of Grey. It would also be the biggest global bow of 2019 outside of Disney and Marvel. And, Johnson and Statham would also claim their best openers outside the main F&F movies.

Comping to spinoffs of major franchises, it’s estimated that if H&S’s international opening is $120.7M, it would be 3% off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, 1% down on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, 130% above Bumblebee and 164% over Men In Black: International. What makes this somewhat skewed is that none of those films featured major (non-robot) characters from their core pictures.

Looking at Friday openings, H&S was led by India with $2.3M, followed by Mexico with $2.2M. Leading cumes through Friday are Russia’s $4M and the UK’s $3.7M.

With no direct competition from new releases in the marketplace in the month of August, H&S is positioned for playability and perhaps a higher multiple than its recent stablemates which opened somewhat frontloaded during the Easter corridor.

There are key markets to come including France, Korea and China during August. In the Middle Kingdom, where the F&F series excels and where both Johnson and Statham have a strong foothold, there is not expected to be competition. The guys are both headed to China next week to pump up excitement.

We’ll have a full weekend report tomorrow.

PREVIOUS, FRIDAY: Universal spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw rocked up to the international box office in 54 markets combined across Wednesday and Thursday. With $24.9M, including select previews, the Dwayne Johnson/Jason Statham-starrer set a handful of benchmarks for a Universal movie in its various bows, and landed No. 1s in the majority of debuts.

The early numbers point to an offshore opening in line with pre-weekend projections at around $125M. More will be gleaned as the full weekend takes shape. While the Fast & Furious movies are not a direct comp given their scale and recent Easter openings, Hobbs & Shaw has nevertheless exceeded the previous films in some South East Asian markets.

In Indonesia, the No. 1 launch was the highest bow ever for the studio at $1.2M. Vietnam previewed at No. 1 for a 2-day total of $1.1M and the biggest full day of sneaks ever (the film opens officially today).

The top start was Russia where the $2.2M No. 1 bow is Universal’s 2nd biggest summer opening day of all time behind Minions.

In the Middle East the rev-up was No. 1 with $1.5M, including the best opening day in the nascent Saudi Arabia market — ahead of Avengers: Endgame. Ukraine was also a No. 1 launch with a Universal record of $300K.

Elsewhere, Australia and Germany were also No. 1 debuts as was the UK. Brazil opened at No. 2.

Domestically, H&S got the motor running with $5.8M in its Thursday previews. Overseas, it will be in 63 markets through today, including Friday bows in Mexico and Japan.

There will be further key offshore rollouts through the month of August including Italy, France, Korea and China to come.

We’ll have international updates through the weekend.