Record Breaking Year for Paramount Passing $2 Billion Internationally
03/08/2011Paramount Pictures International (PPI) announced today that it is the first studio this year to surpass $2 billion at the international box office, just 50 days after passing $1 billion on June 10th. The feat not only marks the studio's best year to date but also the second consecutive year in which Paramount has grossed $2 billion at the international box office, achieving the mark on Saturday July 30th, five months earlier than their prior record.
The news comes as Paramount's Transformers: Dark of the Moon became the 10th feature film in history to pass the $1 billion mark and the third this year alongside Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. As the first film within the Transformers franchise to have a theatrical 3D release, it last week became the first ever Paramount-produced title to cross $500 million at the international box office; as well as becoming PPI's highest grossing international release of all-time.
Paramount Pictures Chairman & CEO Brad Grey stated, "Our team has made creating a best-in-class international operation a cornerstone of our business. I'm grateful for everyone's hard work across the globe that helped us achieve this milestone once again."
PPI President Andrew Cripps also commented, "We are delighted to hit the $2 billion threshold so quickly this year. Credit has to go to the fantastic films we have had to release this year as well as the talented marketing and distribution teams working on Paramount films around the world."
The weekend also saw PPI's continue its releases with Marvel Studios' as Captain America: The First Avenger hit the box office. Directed by Joe Johnston it is releasing in 23 international markets (including the UK, Russia, Australia, Korea, Mexico and Brazil) one week after its international debut in Italy. The film claimed an impressive $49.1 million at the weekend and has an early international cumulative gross of $53.9 million. Marvel Studios' Thor, directed by Kenneth Branagh, has already contributed $267.4 million to PPI's 2011 grosses as well.
Paramount has also seen strong early success with J.J. Abrams' Super 8, grossing $59.7 million so far. The adventure film has yet to open in 20 international markets, including UK/Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Brazil.
DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 2, directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, has outperformed the original 2008 film and currently has an international gross of $447.3 million. Kung Fu Panda 2 now holds records as the highest grossing animated film of all-time in eight Asian markets, including China and Korea, and has yet to open in Japan and Italy (both launching later in August).
Paramount's $2 billion 2011 has been built on a strong variety of titles, including Paramount's first in-house animated production Rango, directed by Gore Verbinski, which led first quarter business as it grossed $119.6 million at the international box office, with Japan still to release October 22nd.
Paul Weitz's Little Fockers, the third film in the Meet The Parents franchise, earned $105.3 million of its $162.2 million international total in 2011; and Paramount saw two very strong first quarter performers with the Coen Brothers' Academy Award-nominated western True Grit ($79.9 million) and Ivan Reitman's hit romantic comedy No Strings Attached ($77.6 million).
PPI's also have a number of features still to come in their 2011 line-up including Cowboys And Aliens, Footloose, Paranormal Activity 3, The Adventures Of Tintin, Puss In Boots and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.