'G.I. Joe' tops overseas box office

By Frank Segers

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," the summer's last big franchise title, battled its way to the No. 1 spot on the foreign circuit over the weekend, commandeering $44.1 million from 35 territories.

The $175 million movie, based on the Hasbro action figure toy line (also the subject of a 1987 animated film, several TV series and a comic book series), took first place in at least 13 territories, although its per-screen average overall was a relatively tame $7,670.

Directed by Stephen Sommers and co-starring Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid, "G.I. Joe" drew $5.6 million in South Korea, as well as No. 1 rankings in both China ($4.8 million) and Russia ($4.6 million). France chipped in $3.3 million, the U.K. $2.9 million, and Japan $2.4 million.

About 28 overseas territories, including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, are still to play.

After three weekends at No. 1, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" slipped to second place with an estimated $22.3 million from 64 markets. Its international total stands at $541.8 million, almost double its domestic tally. Worldwide, the sixth "Harry Potter" has grossed $815.6 million, making "Prince" the 20th biggest grosser in history.

Third on the weekend was "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," which garnered $14 million from 66 markets. Its overseas tally is $578.2 million, making the threequel this year's biggest foreign grosser to date, besting the latest "Harry Potter" by $36.4 million.

Fourth was Pixar/Disney's animated title "Up," which began its run May 29 and will conclude it in Japan on December 5. Weekend action sparked by No. 1 finishes in France and Spain was $16.9 million from 21 territories. The foreign total stands at $108.8 million, putting "Up" ahead of the pace set by 2008's "WALL-E" (total overseas gross of $310 million) and 2007's "Ratatouille" ($415 million).

"Public Enemies" was No. 5, opening at No. 3 in Germany. Director Michael Mann's period crime drama with Johnny Depp drew $7.5 million from 44 markets, pushing its overseas total to $62.3 million.

Other notable foreign totals: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," $425.6 million; "Terminator Salvation," $244.2 million; "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," $213.4 million; "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," $185 million; "The Hangover," $124 million; "The Proposal," $92.3 million.

(Editing by DGoodman at Reuters)