Sunday, February 15, 2009

White Doggie Frolics in Foreign Lands

While Bolt has pretty much run out its string in the States, it continues to collect significant coin overseas:

Disney's "Bolt" finished a distant but decent second to "Button," fetching $16.5 million at 3,696 playdates -- most of that from its U.K. launch of $7.8 million (including previews) and its second French frame, which saw grosses edge up 2% to $4.3 million.

"Bolt" has cumed $131.8 million outside the United States as the Mouse House opted for a staggered release pattern aimed at individual markets. The toon should stay a player as both the U.K. and France are entering school holiday periods ...

So Bolt has now outpaced its domestic totals in overseas markets (updated from the mojo numbers immediately below in Presidential Box Office.)

It appears to me that the picture will double its domestic accumulation before all the tickets are sold, earning it a total worldwide take somewhere north of $300 million.

Not a monster blockbuster. But not an embarrassment either.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad Bolt is doing well. It richly deserves to. Thanks for the update.

Anonymous said...

Apparently one of the reasons it's doing better overseas is because Disney learned its lesson, and actually designed a good international marketing campaign that emphasizes the movie's strengths. Shockingly, that actually makes people want to go see it.

Unknown said...

Bolt is the best CG film I have seen in a long time. Happy it is doing well.

Steve Hulett said...

Apparently one of the reasons it's doing better overseas is because Disney learned its lesson, and actually designed a good international marketing campaign

It also helps when you don't schedule your movie against a vampire film called Twilight ... which sank its teeth into Bolt's opening weekend gross.

This was a truly stupid move by Disney marketing, IMO. Somebody should have seen the locomotive coming. Cost them some bucks.

Anonymous said...

Yuck, I finally saw Twilight this week..

What a pile of crap! I can't believe that film beat "Bolt" opening weekend. It was like watching a bad episode of Dawson's Creek with vampires or an our and a half of Leo and Kate hugging on the front of Titanic looped over and over!

Teenage girls truly have no taste, only a big, mushy sappy heart that bleeds sugar and tears.

Steve Hulett said...

In defense of teenage girls ... the book on which the movie was based was the catalyst for the turnout opening weekend. Not the film, per se.

Teenage girls love the series of novels, and so showed up in droves to see the film adaption.

Subsequent box office for Twilight dropped off like an anvil over a cliff, but that first weekend -- when Bolt got rolled out -- was the killer.

Anonymous said...

drop off or not Twilight was and is a huge financial film success. I didn't see it and probably won't but it definitely did a lot of damage to Bolt. Then add in the poor roll out of Bolt and you have a film like Bolt, that people will discover over the years.

Anonymous said...

How do you figure that BOLT's worldwide B.O. is going north of 300 million when it currently stands at 220 mil. That means its going to make another 80 mil.

I realize that you are trying to be optimistic but don't you think that's a little unrealistic. Sure anything is possible. Heck I can show models that can prove elephants can fly but the numbers don't add up here.

The fate of BOLT has already bee sealed. I am more curious to see how much Frog and Rapunzel makes. Lets see if the leadership in Burbank can show that they turn the studio into a viable and sustainable business and not the money pit which it has been. There are plenty of able bodied rank and file folks in Burbank but the leadership has been crap. I have been waiting for the so-called magic of Lasseter and Catmull in Burbank. They are able to run things in Emeryville but so far their performance in Burbank has been shall we say less than stellar.

Anonymous said...

To above anonymous:

It helps if you're educated and/or have a clue.

The international release of Bolt is being carried out in stages, rather than all at once. Each country is decided upon based on when is the optimum time (holidays, etc.) for that particular locality.

Japan, which Bolt has not yet been released in, could alone very likely rack up at least $60 million or more, since that is one of the biggest international markets for Disney animation. And Disney has already announced they are preparing a major Japan push for the movie.

Based on these facts, another $80 million isn't at all unlikely, and may be conservative. But don't let these inconvenient facts ruin a perfectly good Bolt hate.

Anonymous said...

To the anon poster above...

What info is telling you that BOLT could make 60 mil in Japan. Sources Please.

I am well aware that Disney does not like day-n-date releases and likes to roll out their movies in different territories but 80 mil is still a big hill to climb.

We will see.

Anonymous said...

60 million in Japan seems nearly impossible.

Indiana Jones made only 53. Wall-E 43. Ratatouille 33.



But really, Bolt just opened in some of the larger overseas markets. Let those cook for awhile before we write off our little white pooch. It might do 40 in the UK and Ireland and another 30 in Japan.

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