France Says Oui to ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ With A $2.8M Opening Day; International Rollout Strategy Outlined
Deadline’s International Editor, Nancy Tartaglione, contributed to this story
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, opened Wednesday in its first international territory — France — to an estimated $ 2.8 million (or 8% higher than The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) on 909 screens, Warner Bros said. The pic opened in the No. 1 spot (Frozen, of course, is in its second week there). In Paris, it was 15% ahead of last ye ar’s Hobbit. Other films opening in France this week include local comedy 100% Cachemire, Cannes prizewinner A Touch Of Sin, JC Chandor’s All Is Lost and Bad Grandpa.
Warner is opening Desolation of Smaug in 49 territories Friday on more than 15,000 screens including in Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Mexico, Brazil and Korea. It will roll out in other markets later.
Industry analysts say tracking for the domestic bow is expected to be similar to last year’s opening of $ 84.6 million, which ultimately took in $ 303 million domestically.
Desolation of Smaug also
is expected to churn out the same overall cume internationally, $ 714.5 million. But only time will tell.
The worldwide distribution strategy for this year’s Hobbit is slightly different than last year as the studio has decided not to open in Japan until late February, mirroring the strategy it took with the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The studio also pushed some Latin American markets closer to the Christmas holiday. Last year, An Unexpected Journey opened in 56 territories day-and-date with the domestic bow. Warner Bros said Desolation of Smaug “will be opening in seven fewer territories, which may preclude year-on-year comparisons with published figures for last year’s Hobbit film.” Half of the screens will be showing the pic in 3D.
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