Fantasy actioner “Warcraft” opens at int’l markets with $9.3 million

PanARMENIAN.Net - Legendary-Universal’s fantasy actioner “Warcraft” has opened solidly with $9.3 million and first-place finishes in 11 international markets — two weeks ahead of its U.S. and China launches, The Hollywood Reporter said.

Germany opened No. 1 on Thursday, May 26 with $2.2 million for the biggest opening day of the year with a 50% market share.

Russia generated a first-place launch with $2.8 million, which marks the second-biggest opening day of 2016 behind only “Deadpool.” It is the seventh-biggest opening day of all time in Russia and the fifth biggest non-holiday opening day ever.

France saw a first-place launch on Wednesday with $983,000. The two-day total has hit $1.5 million. Austria opened Thursday with $280,000 and a 48% market share.

“Warcraft” also opened No. 1 in Denmark, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Lebanon, Switzerland, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The film, which carries a $160 million price tag, will also launch this weekend in Norway and Sweden.

“Warcraft” is based on Blizzard Entertainment’s multi-player game and centers on the peaceful realm of Azeroth standing on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another.

It’s directed by Duncan Jones and written by Jones and Charles Leavitt. The movie stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Rob Kazinsky and Daniel Wu.

“Warcraft” is a Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production. The producers are Charles Roven, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Gartner and Stuart Fenegan. Jillian Share, Brent O’Connor, Michael Morhaime and Paul Sams serve as executive producers.

Prospects are mixed in the U.S., where tracking is showing a $25 million opening weekend, well behind the $40 million-plus projection for “The Conjuring 2.”