The rebooted fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean- On Stranger Tides” took a record $256.3 million at the international box office. It surpasses the previous opening f the sixth “Harry Potter” film in 2009 “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” In the US “Stranger Tides” showed a slow opening at $90.1 million whicih brings a total of$ 346.4 million, the fourth highest international opening.
The fourth sequel is minus Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, but Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow is back with new leading lady Penelope Cruz. The fourth installment is crucial to the film’s sequel. The first three movies earned a combined $2.7 billion worldwide.
“The whole play of this particular movie was based on a worldwide release because of our feeling of how strong the international marketplace would be,” said Chuck Viane, head of distribution at Disney. “Johnny is not just a domestic star. Johnny is an international star.” A fifth sequel is in the works after the success of the latest installment.
The “Bridesmaids,” starring Kristen Wiig, took the second place at the box office with $21 million. Meanwhile The comic adaptatio of “Thor” is in the third spot in its third week of release earning a total of $145.4 million.
Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris,” is also earning great reviews. It has a limited screening in just six theaters, but earning more than $96,000.
The success of “Stranger Tides” in international box-office is credited also to the worldwide appeal of its international stars such as Spanish Actress Cruz.
“This proves the importance of the global marketplace,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com. Russia, China and India accounts for $52.6 million of the revenue.
The film is shown in 3-D and IMAX screenings which generated huge ticket sales. Dergarabedian said he expects the fourth Pirates movie to be one of the biggest moviegoing Memorial Day weekends ever. Some of the movies that will be opening next weekend are “The Hangover Part II” from Warner Bros. and “Kung Fu Panda 2″ from Paramount are also expected to be a blockbuster during the three-day memorial weekend.
Here are the estimated ticket sales in U.S. from Friday through Sunday.
1. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” $90.1 million.
2. “Bridesmaids,” $21 million.
3. “Thor,” $15.5 million.
4. “Fast Five,” $10.6 million.
5. “Rio,” $4.7 million.
6. “Priest,” $4.6 million.
7. “Jumping the Broom,” $3.7 million.
8. “Something Borrowed,” $3.4 million.
9. “Water For Elephants,” $2.2 million.
10. “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family,” $990,000.
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