More than four months after opening, DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster sequel Shrek the Third is still busting blocks around the world. The Hollywood Reporter today brings word that the family comedy debuted in seven more territories over the weekend and raked in a total of $17.2 million, enough to make it the top draw overseas once again. With foreign receipts topping $436 million, the film’s worldwide take now stands at around $757 million. It’s one of three animated flicks occupying top spots overseas.
While American audiences helped Dimension’s Halloween remake set a new Labor Day record with $31 million, moviegoers in Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland were all about CG silliness, making the third Shrek installment the No. 1 movie in each territory. The pic did best in Italy, where it laid claim to $10.8 million, the biggest toon opening in the country’s history.
Shrek the Third pushed Universal’s international hit The Bourne Identity to second place with an estimated $15.1 million from 31 markets. Coming in third place was Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille, which picked up just one territory over the weekend and earned around $10.1 million in 30 markets. The Paris-set animated buddy comedy has been the biggest money maker in France for the past five weeks. To date, it has grossed approximately $51 million in the country and is creeping on Sony/Columbia’s Spider-Man 3, France’s top-grossing release of 2007.
The Simpsons Movie from 20th Century Fox crossed the $300 million mark overseas and took the No 4. spot with an estimated $7.7 million for the weekend. The big-screen expansion of the internationally successful television series is playing in 49 markets and has grossed more than $470 million worldwide since opening in late July.
