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Jan 18, 2015 1:33pm PT
Box Office: 'Taken 3' Tops Foreign Charts, 'Hobbit 3' Hits $800 Million
By Brent Lang
Brent Lang
BrentALang
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"Taken 3" is zeroing in on $100 million at the foreign box office after topping overseas charts.
Liam Neeson's return as cinema's most vengeful papa bear brought in $31.4 million. The film's foreign total stands at $99 million while its global haul clocks in at $161.8 million.
Among notable markets, "Taken 3" pulled in $5.4 million from the United Kingdom, opened with $2.5 million in the Philippines, kicked off with $2.2 million in Russia and debuted to $1.2 million in Spain.
In runner-up position, Legendary's "Seventh Son" racked up $21.7 million after debuting in China, where it opened in first place with $15 million. Stateside audiences won't get a look at the oft-delayed fantasy epic until Feb. 6, but it has been racking up sizable numbers overseas in advance of its domestic delivery. In China, it was released through the company's Hong Kong-based joint venture Legendary East.
Last week's foreign champ, "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," had to settle for a third-place finish, earning $17.8 million. The family film's global haul stands at $284.7 million.
"Penguins of Madagascar" and "Exodus: Gods & Kings" rounded out the foreign top five, pulling in $16.3 million and $10.9 million, respectively. The animated film has earned $306.2 million worldwide, while the biblical epic has generated $250 million.
The weekend's top domestic release, "American Sniper," earned a solid $9.3 million from seven overseas markets including the United Kingdom and Korea. The results are impressive considering that films that lionize the United States aren't always embraced by foreign audiences.
In milestone news, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" soared past the $800 million mark globally after earning $9.8 million overseas this weekend.
"The Imitation Game," the Oscar-nominated biopic about code-breaker Alan Turing, also crossed important benchmarks. It hit $102.3 million globally, after grossing more than $6.6 million internationally this weekend.
Liam Neeson,
Taken 3,
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies