UPDATE, writethru: Sony’s Venom kept its fangs sharp in this sophomore session, topping the worldwide charts again with $105.4M, including $69.7M at the international box office. The Tom Hardy-starrer has lifted its global cume to $378.1M after 12 days with overseas contributing $235.3M. Venom, based on the Marvel property, was No. 1 in 54 markets this frame including a handful of new hubs and was down 47% versus last weekend in the holdovers. It’s tracking 32% above Ant-Man And The Wasp and 12% over Doctor Strange for the same group of markets and at the same point in release.

Singing along, Warner Bros’ A Star Is Born saw a drop of just 14% since it took the stage last weekend. The $20.2M frame in 65 markets lifts the offshore cume to a running $41.2M. Italy (where the Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga-starrer world premiered during the Venice Film Festival) was the top opener, followed by Brazil and Mexico. A tiny 6% drop in the UK, along with small dips in France and Germany — and a 4% increase in Spain where Friday was a holiday — show that word of mouth is working as audiences take time to discover the buzzy movie.

Universal The newcomer this session, also a Venice world premiere, is Universal’s First Man. Directed by Oscar winner Damien Chazelle, the story of Neil Armstrong came in at $8.6M in 22 markets. Of those, only the UK, Australia and Spain are majors with the rest of international rolling out this month and next. The critically-lauded drama of Armstrong’s journey to the 1969 moon landing is comping to adult stories like Arrival and Captain Phillips. A Star Is Born is taking some of the gravitational pull, but numbers were more solid across Saturday and Sunday as the film connects with audiences and word of mouth spreads. In the main, reviews and WOM will help while Uni is looking at a long run with 49 markets to come.

First Man is hindered in part by a 2-hour and 21-minute running time, but should see traction through awards season, particularly for performances by Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy as well as the technical achievements. The stunning lunar sequence was shot using IMAX cameras, and overseas the movie played on 146 screens in the format this weekend for $4.5M. Uni also has Halloween beginning rollout next weekend. Beyond that, the next few frames are a mash-up of holds, expansions, Fox’s Bohemian Rhapsody and holiday fare (Uni’s The Grinch, Dis’ Nutcracker) until we get to mid-November and WB’s Fantastic Beasts sequel.

Turning back to Venom this weekend, the Ruben Fleischer-helmed pic coursed through its opening in France, topping comps Ant-Man 2 (+31%) and Wonder Woman (+17%). Vietnam and Thailand also had strong starts. Holds at No. 1 for the second outing include Russia, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, Australia, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Elsewhere, The House With A Clock In Its Walls has crossed $100M worldwide, including non-Universal markets, and Sony’s Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation also hit a new milestone, sailing to $350M internationally for $517M global.

NEW

FIRST MAN

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/REX/Shutterstock (9826758h)

Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Damien Chazelle. Actors Ryan Gosling, from left, Claire Foy and director Damien Chazelle pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘First Man’ at the 75th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice

Film Festival 2018 First Man Photo Call, Venice, Italy – 29 Aug 2018 Kirsty Wigglesworth/Shutterstock Damien Chazelle’s La La Land follow-up blasted off at the Venice Film Festival in the opening night slot, the second time the young director took the honor. The Universal film was critically praised, although an absurd flap about the lack of a flag-planting scene on the moon soon made headlines — and at this point should be forgotten. First Man is first and foremost a drama about Neil Armstrong, and is the first time his backstory and that of the history-making achievement to put a man on the lunar surface has been told. It immediately drew awards buzz and Uni is expecting it to play through. There are another 49 markets to go.

Budgeted at $60M before P&A, the film this weekend took in $8.6M from 22 overseas markets and combined with domestic is at $25.1M global in its maiden voyage. It’s hindered somewhat by a long run time and is competing with A Star Is Born for the adult crowd. This is a film to be discovered, however. Universal is comping to adult dramas including Arrival, The Imitation Game and Captain Phillips.

The lead this session was the UK with $3.1M at 588 locations. First Man debuted at a similar level to Everest, American Sniper, Arrival and The Imitation Game and is enjoying positive word of mouth as it looks to a strong multiple.

Australia bowed at No. 2 with $1.67M at 288, topping Arrival and Captain Phillips. Saturday had the market’s biggest increase, up 82% from Friday. In Spain, where Friday was a holiday, the $1.03M result at 330 was over The Imitation Game.

Other bows include Russia ($573K/642), Hong Kong ($357K/50), India ($330K/337) with key cities strong, Indonesia ($286K/140), New Zealand ($285K/96), Sweden ($229K/152) and Norway ($169K/130).

Upcoming markets include France, Brazil and Korea next weekend.

IMAX generated $3.7M on 146 screens in 21 markets. It adds 104 IMAX screens in another 25 this week.

HOLDOVERS/EXPANSIONS

VENOM

Sony As noted above, Venom topped the global charts for the second weekend in a row with $105.4M including $69.7M from international markets. The worldwide cume after 12 days is $378.1M with $235.3M of that from abroad. Out of a total 65 markets this weekend, the movie was No. 1 in 54 and is tracking ahead of both Ant-Man And The Wasp (+32%) and Doctor Strange (+12%).

France launched at No. 1 with $6.7M (including previews), besting the openings of AM&TW (+31%), and Wonder Woman (+17%). Vietnam opened No. 1 with $3M (including previews), which is 95% bigger than Wonder Woman and 11% more than AM&TW. Thailand likewise scored a top start at $2.2M, ahead of Ant-Man 2 (+26%) and Doctor Strange (+17%).

No. 1 holds include Russia ($5.5M/$23.6M cume), Brazil ($4.7M/$11.4M), Mexico ($4.5M/$17.9M), Korea ($4.4M/$25.4M), the UK ($3.9M/$18M), Australia ($2.8M/$11.2M), Germany ($2.6M/$9.6M), Spain ($2.1M/$7.4M) and Italy ($2M/$7.5M). Brazil saw the best percentage hold, down just 6%.

In IMAX, the title now has a $22M cume.

A China date has yet to be confirmed; Japan goes November 2.

A STAR IS BORN

Warner Bros Warner Bros’ Bradley Cooper-helmed love story swooned downward by just 14% in the sophomore frame, taking another $20.2M in 65 markets for $41.2M internationally thus far.

Italy, where the movie premiered during Venice, crooned to $2M on 589 screens, narrowly coming in at No. 2. That’s on par with American Hustle and The Shape Of Water and over Silver Linings Playbook (+34%) and Ocean’s 8 (+81%).

Brazil tuned to $1.4M on 501 at No. 3 and coming in ahead of nearly all comps; Mexico grossed $1.3M on 1,097, well over Cooper-starrers American Hustle and Silver Linings.

Korea opened to $1.2M on 560 screens, ranking No. 4 and Taiwan took in $1.1M on 171 screens

In holds, the UK dropped just 6% and has cumed $12.3M to lead all play. France also saw a small dip (-20%) and has grossed $4.7M; Germany slid just 9% for $3.7M to date; and Spain rose 4% for $2.1M so far.

Next weekend Cooper and Gaga take the tour to Australia.

SMALLFOOT

Warner Bros Warner Bros’ animated yeti movie squashed another $14.5M this weekend in 57 markets. The hold was -37% for an international cume of $52.6M and more school breaks… afoot. The UK opened to $2.8M on 884 screens and on par with Storks/16% ahead of The Lorax. Spain, taking advantage of the Friday holiday, bowed at No. 2 with $1.6M on 375. That’s above Trolls, Storks, The Lorax and The Emoji Movie. Germany bowed to $805K on 968, flying higher than Storks and Captain Underpants.

Australia, where Smallfoot is in its 4th frame, leads all play at $8.6M, followed by Mexico with $7.7M and Brazil whose 3rd session was up 21% for a running cume of $4M. France and China bow this week.

JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN

Universal has a tidy moneymaker on its hands with the return of the bumbling superagent. The session was worth $11.5M for an $82.1M overseas cume to top the lifetimes of Bad Moms and Daddy’s Home 2. Domestic, where these movies don’t typically have the same traction, opens October 26. There were 9 new markets this frame with family audiences driving holds. The drop was 40% from last weekend.

Italy came in at $1M at 330 locations with good word of mouth and landing in line with the last Rowan Atkinson starrer in the series. France grossed $749K at 310; the Philippines nabbed $685K at 203, above Johnny English Reborn and more than doubling Baywatch, Central Intelligence and Spy; Denmark is on track to play through the coming school holidays with a $174K start at 72.

In holds, the UK leads at $3.85M for a $10.9M cume to date and down just 31%. Australia is next best with an $8.7M cume to date as Strikes Again approaches the lifetimes of the previous movies; and Spain is at $4M.

Next weekend Johnny heads to Germany. Brazil and Japan are in November.

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE (*Denotes new)

20th Century Fox *Bad Times At The El Royale (FOX): $4M intl weekend (36 markets led by Russia’s $913K)

Incredibles 2 (DIS): $4M intl weekend (17 markets); $620M intl cume ($1,227.5M WW)

*Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (SNY): $3.7M intl weekend (early select markets)

The Nun (WB): $3.2M intl weekend (79 markets); $243.1M intl cume

The House With A Clock In Its Walls (UNI): 2.8M intl weekend (22 markets); $17.4M intl cume

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (SNY): $2.8M intl weekend (36 markets); $350M intl cume

Night School (UNI): $2.2M intl weekend (23 markets); $15.4M intl cume

A Simple Favor (LG): $1.9M intl weekend (62 markets); $31M intl cume

The Predator (FOX): $1M intl weekend (37 markets); $75M intl cume; China to come October 26

BlackKklansman (UNI): $700K intl weekend (26 markets); $36.3M intl cume

Peppermint (STX): $545K intl weekend (46 markets); $10M intl cume

The Happytime Murders (STX): $375K intl weekend (47 markets); $5.1M intl cume

Mile 22 (STX): $374K intl weekend (60 markets); $27.9M intl cume

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