INTERNATIONAL
Universal International reported Sunday morning that American Pie 2 opened strongly in Italy this weekend to between $2.6-$2.8 million. The studio said Pie 2's launch is 17 percent bigger than Cast Away, 27 percent ahead of Meet the Parents and 100 percent more than the original American Pie. Universal was still receiving details early Sunday morning of its grosses in Italy, but said it appeared that between Pie 2 and Bridget Jones's Diary it had that country's top two films for the weekend.
In France there were solid second weekend ticket sales for Pie 2. Its 14-day cume there is $10.8 million, putting it 70 percent ahead of The Mummy Returns and 72 percent ahead of Jurassic Park 3. This weekend, Pie 2 should pass American Pie's total gross in France of $11.2 million.
In Germany Pie 2 ranked fourth in its fifth week with a three day gross of $0.8 million, down 20 percent. Its cume is $28.7 million. Pie 2 is the second highest grossing American film in Germany this year, behind What Women Want with $35.3 million.
In the U.K. Pie 2 enjoyed a two day gross of $1 million on 410 screens, placing second behind the opening of The Others, which grossed $1.8 million on 373 screens. Pie 2's 23 day cume of $22.1 million is 48 percent ahead of American Pie
Pie 2's international cume is now approximately $88 million with 20 countries yet to open.
Universal also reported Sunday that The Fast and the Furious held well in second place in its third week in Germany and Austria. In Germany the film grossed $0.95 million on 463 screens, down only 14%. It ranked second to the opening of Swordfish with $1.3 million on 483 screens. In Austria, Fast grossed $92,000 on 58 screens, also finishing second to the opening of Swordfish (with $0.15 on 54 screens).
Fast's international cume is approximately $53 million with seven countries still to open.
Universal's release of Bridget Jones's Diary, which Universal and Miramax co-financed, passed $190 million at the international box office this weekend.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
Key films-those grossing more than $500,000 -- took in approximately $143.27 million, up about 44.93 per cent from the comparable weekend last year when key films grossed $98.85 million.
This weekend's key film gross was up about 79.84 percent from last weekend of this year, when key films took in approximately $79.84 million.
Last year, Columbia's opening week of Charlie's Angels was first with $40.13 million at 3,037 theaters ($13,213 per theater); and Universal's fifth week of Meet the Parents was second with $12.64 million at 2,672 theaters ($4,730 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $52.7 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $83.5 million.