INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL soared to a $2.2 million start in France on Wednesday, Paramount reported to VARIETY.
The Steven Spielberg-directed film opened in France and Belgium on Wednesday, the traditional release day for those two countries. It's now open everywhere in the world except India (May 30) and Japan (June 21).
Paramount reported 240,000 admissions for France on Wednesday. In Belgium, the film grossed $250,000 the first day.
INDIANA JONES received a warm welcome when it premiered last Sunday at Cannes Film Festival. Harrison Ford, Spielberg and producer George Lucas worked the red carpet at the Croisette.
Box office predictions expect the film to have a strong box office opening both domestically and internationally, especially considering the three-day weekend holiday in the U.S. and the U.K.
It opens in 4,260 theaters this weekend, giving fellow Paramount release IRON MAN its first real competition since opening three weeks ago. A VARIETY box office prediction report says INDIANA JONES has a good chance of making the list of the top 10 best openings ever. May 2007 release SPIDER-MAN 3 (Sony) holds the top spot with a $151.6 million gross.
