Monster Hunt becomes top-grossing Chinese film in history
NEW YORK — Monster Hunt topped the foreign box office this weekend, picking up US$46 million (S$62 million) as it shattered records to become the top-grossing Chinese film ever.
NEW YORK — Monster Hunt topped the foreign box office this weekend, picking up US$46 million (S$62 million) as it shattered records to become the top-grossing Chinese film ever.
The fantasy film from Shrek creator Raman Hui features a set of outlandish creatures that look like the offspring of Casper the Friendly Ghost and a Chia Pet, and has earned US$211 million in two weeks of release. That massive haul pushes it past Lost in Thailand, the previous Chinese-language record holder. Furious 7 is still the highest-grossing film in the country, having made nearly US$400 million.
In second place, Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions continued to be a global force, adding US$44 million to its US$759.4 million worldwide haul. The picture is now in 60 territories, having opened in first place in Peru and Portugal to the tune of US$1.9 million and US$1.2 million, respectively. It has seven more territories left to open, the most significant of which are Korea on July 29, Japan on July 31 and China on Sept 13.
Disney and Marvel’s Ant-Man showed that the comic book company continues to display a talent for fielding films with international appeal. The superhero movie took in US$35.3 million from 61 territories after opening in several significant locations such as Germany and Spain. It has debuted in 61 per cent of the international territories where it will screen, but still has Italy, Korea, Japan and China on deck. Domestically, Ant-Man topped charts for a second consecutive weekend, earning US$24.8 million. Its worldwide total stands at US$226.5 million.
Fourth and fifth positions on the chart went to Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out with US$28.3 million and the Chinese comedy Pancake Man with US$25 million. Inside Out’s global haul stands at US$550.1 million, while Pancake Man has earned US$132 million. VARIETY.COM/REUTERS