Animation master Hayao Miyazaki' continues his box office success in his home country of Japan with the record breaking debut of his new feature, HOWLS MOVING CASTLE, reports VARIETY. The film made $14.3 million on 448 screens last weekend, accounting for 72% of the territory's entire box office. It is expected that a third of Japans population will see the film. The film had the third highest debut, behind the first two HARRY POTTER films.
As for other animated fare, THE INCREDIBLES drew $797,000 in Singapore (36% ahead of FINDING NEMO), $550,000 in Malaysia (50% bigger than previous animated leader DINOSAUR) and $280,000 in its platform at two London venues. Through its second weekends, the film has pocketed $2.2 million in Sweden, $1.9 million in Taiwan and $1.5 million in Denmark. After just two weekends at the 2,000-seat Grand Rex in Paris, the new Pixar flick has racked up $644,000 and on Sunday it notched 14,200 admissions, a single-day theater record in the country.
THE POLAR EXPRESS brought home a decent $925,000 in four days in Australia.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
