UPDATE, writethru: As global turnstiles start greasing up for next week’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, audiences are continuing to warm up to the two current Hollywood titles in wide release: Sony’s Jumanji: The Next Level and Disney’s Frozen 2. Expanding to another 34 offshore hubs after an early rollout last weekend, The Next Level delivered $85.7M this session, lifting the international box office cume to $152.5M in 52 total markets so far. This puts the sequel to the 2017 hit at $213M global. And that’s as The Next Level exploded to a $60.1M domestic debut, far exceeding expectations.

The Dwayne Johnson-starrer was No. 1 in 44 overseas markets this frame and is tracking 33% over Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (at today’s exchange rates in the freshly added hubs).

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Leading on the new game was the UK with a 5-day of $12.6M including previews (+32% on Jungle). Russia also had a strong start with $8.9M (+22% and including previews); and Germany doubled the previous movie with $4.6M (again, with previews). Mexico topped the former pic by 78% with $4.8M.

After last weekend’s charge, holds were good in the Netherlands (-30%), Philippines (-31%) and France (-33%), among others.

The China launch last session was below industry projections and this China session saw a big slide to just about $6M (-76%) for a $38.2M cume. Word of mouth just hasn’t propelled this installment and there is plenty of local competition in the market, including Sheep Without A Shepherd which led this frame there at an estimated $33M. Ultimately, the Middle Kingdom repped just 14% of the 2017 Jumanji which went on to nearly $1B global.

Italy, Australia and Brazil have yet to join the drumbeat, rolling out through the rest of December and into mid-January.

Meanwhile, it took just four frames for Frozen 2 to pass the $1B global mark, in a wider release pattern from, and much faster than, the original. With this session’s $55.7M overseas, the sequel to the highest-grossing animated film of all time has snowballed to $1.033B worldwide including $666M at the international box office.

Also notable, Lionsgate’s Knives Out carved up another $13.6M from 73 offshore markets, lifting the cume to $83.3M with global at $162.2M.

In other milestones, Universal’s Last Christmas has crossed $100M global.

This week, beginning on Wednesday, Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker kicks off a near day-and-day rollout, starting with such majors as France, Germany and Italy on December 18 (and including previews in China). The JJ Abrams-directed Episode IX is also going out on 1450+ screens across the global IMAX network.

Breakdowns on this week’s films above and more have been updated below.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL

Sony Pictures After an early offshore rollout last weekend, that came in below predictions owing to a soft China landing, Sony’s sequel is in fine fettle this session with an added $85.7M from 52 total overseas markets. This is slightly higher than where the industry had it for the second session, and places the Dwayne Johnson-starrer at $152.5M internationally so far. That’s good for 33% ahead of Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle in the new markets added this frame (and at today’s rates).

Rolling into the upcoming holiday period, The Next Level performed best in the UK ($12.6M over 5 days and +32% on Welcome To The Jungle); followed by Russia ($8.9M/+22%) and Germany ($4.6M/x2 of WTTJ).



Elsewhere, the Middle East bowed to $6.4M (including previews), which ranks as Sony’s 2nd biggest opening of all time for the region. Korea kicked off with $5.7M (5-day total); and Mexico launched to $4.8M, besting the opening of the prior installment by 78%.



Other notable openings include India ($4M, including previews), Spain ($2.7M), Japan ($2.1M), Ukraine ($1.5M), Hong Kong ($1.2M), Vietnam ($1.1M, including previews) and Belgium ($1M, including previews).



Holds in the earlier release markets include France (-33%), Netherlands (-30%), Denmark (-22%), Norway (-24%), Sweden (-34%), Czech Republic (-6%), Philippines (-31%), Singapore (-35%) and Taiwan (-39%).



Upcoming key markets are Italy, Australia and Brazil.

In IMAX, the Jake Kasdan-directed pic grossed $7.5M globally this session to lift the cume to $12.3M. Internationally, the adventure is at $8.6M.

FROZEN 2

Walt Disney Studios Skating past the $1B mark globally this weekend, Disney’s sequel to the highest-grossing animated film of all time continues to have an ice grip on certain markets. It added $55.7M in 48 material hubs this session which is its 4th overseas, and maintained No. 1s in France, Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan and Korea, among others. The full international box office cume is $666M for $1.033B worldwide.

Elsa and Anna join their previous installment as well as Zootopia to lead the 3rd Walt Disney Animations Studios title to ever pass $1B and make for the 6th Disney pic this year to the mark. Overall, Frozen 2 is now the 7th biggest animated release of all time globally. It is also the top animated movie ever in Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and more.

Strong holds continue abroad with a 40% drop. The top of the crop includes Colombia (-3%), Switzerland (-21%), Belgium (-25%), Japan (-25%), Chile (-26%), Netherlands (-27%), UK (-28%), Korea (-32%), Israel (-33%), Australia (-33%), Germany (-34%), Singapore (-35%), France (-37%), Taiwan (-39%), China (-43%) and Mexico (-49%).

The Top 5 markets to date are China ($111.5M), Korea ($85.4M), Japan ($67.3M), the UK ($49.6M) and Germany ($39.9M).

Brazil is still to release on January 2.

KNIVES OUT

Claire Folger/Lionsgate Lionsgate’s ensemble thriller is keeping up with adult audiences in 73 overseas markets, cutting another $13.6M for a strong offshore cume of $83.3M. Globally, the running total is $162.2M.

Brazil joined the family get-together this session, debuting to No. 1 with $1.1M from 361 locations, and including previews. Dropping just 15% in its third weekend, the UK has reached $11M and is a steady No. 3 in the market. Australia also held well at No. 2 (-18%) for a $5.5M cume.

Both Korea and Italy also held tight, down 39% and 13%, respectively. The cumes there are $3.2M and $2.8M.

China remained the top grossing market with a $27.4M running cume after three weekends.



Germany and Japan are still to come in January.

LAST CHRISTMAS

Universal Universal’s romantic comedy crossed the $100M global mark ($100.9M) this session, after adding $7.2M in 64 offshore markets. The international box office cume is $66.5M. In like-for-like markets, the Emilia Clarke-starrer is tracking in line with The Intern and above Yesterday, Crazy Rich Asians and About Time.

The UK still leads all play at $20.8M after a slight 9% drop. (Anecdotally, the titular George Michael song is earworming its way across London if my weekend’s Christmas shopping experience is anything to go by…) Italy is next up on December 19.