Warner Bros/DC’s highly anticipated film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, has made its offshore rollout debut and has already generated significant buzz in the international box office. As of Friday, the film has grossed an impressive $40.9 million across 73 international markets, indicating a full overseas opening in the range of $70 million. Combining the domestic earnings from its three- and four-day release, the global start is projected to exceed $100 million.
The United Kingdom and Germany were among the first countries to screen Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In the UK, the film made its debut on Thursday, amassing $712,000 from 1,194 screens, placing it as the runner-up behind the continued success of Wonka. While this figure is roughly on par with the openings of The Flash and 33% lower than the original Aquaman, the performance is still considerable given that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom debuted on a Wednesday. The UK’s total earnings through Friday reached $1.6 million.
Similarly, Germany also kicked off the Aquaman sequel on Thursday, ranking number one with an impressive $520,000 from 589 screens. This opening day figure more than doubled that of The Flash, with higher numbers than The Marvels (+81%) and Black Adam (+27%), and on par with Ant-Man and the Wasp. However, it falls short by 31% compared to the first Aquaman film. Notably, 68% of ticket sales in Germany were for the 3D version of the movie. Including previews, the film has already grossed $1.5 million in the country.
China’s Box Office Impact
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has also seen success in China, with a current cumulative gross of $23.2 million as of Saturday. Notably, the film has received a rating of 9 on Maoyan, a popular Chinese movie rating platform, slightly lower than the original Aquaman’s rating of 9.3. Despite facing a cooling interest in Hollywood films and considering the upcoming release of several local end-of-year titles, Maoyan projects a final total of $47 million for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in the Chinese market.
The top five international markets for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom up to Friday are China ($13.9 million), Mexico ($3.4 million), Brazil ($1.9 million), Indonesia ($1.9 million), and France ($1.6 million). The film’s global success is a testament to the popularity of the Aquaman franchise worldwide.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros/Village Roadshow/Heyday Films’ Wonka, another highly anticipated film, has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing the $200 million mark at the global box office. As of Friday, the film has grossed $215.8 million, with $151.9 million coming from overseas markets. The film’s performance on Thursday, with $7.1 million in 77 markets, was consistent with the previous week. The UK remains the top market for Wonka, followed by Mexico, Germany, Australia, and Spain/Japan.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has made a strong and promising start in the international box office, with the potential for impressive earnings worldwide. The film’s success in key markets such as the UK, Germany, and China bodes well for its future performance. Coupled with the continued success of Wonka, Warner Bros/DC is poised for a successful year-end box office season.