UPDATE: 2/16 11 AM PST:Deadlineis now reporting that, by the end of the four-day Presidents Day holiday weekend,Fifty Shades of Greywill have earned $94.4 million at the domestic box office, and $172 million overseas for a worldwide haul of $266.4 million worldwide. This sets a record for the highest international opening weekend in the month of February. Its Wednesday-Sunday international opening of $156 million is the second highest ever for Universal, behind the $160.3 million take for 2013’sFast & Furious 6. On Saturday, Valentine’s Day,Fifty Shades of Greyearned $55 million internationally, making it the highest-grossing day overseas in Universal history.
Original Story:Fifty Shades of Greyis already a big hit in the U.S.,taking in $81.6 million duringits opening weekend, and now the adaptation ofE.L. Jamesnovel is a hit overseas as well, earning over $240 million worldwide. The $158 million international gross is a new box office record for an R-rated movie, breaking the former record set byThe Matrix Revolutions($117 million). The adaptation, which was made for just $40 million, was the #1 movie in 55 of the 58 international markets it debuted in over the weekend.
Over 60% of all international moviegoers preferredFifty Shades of Greyover other competing movies such asKingsman: The Secret Service, which was the top movie in Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. Universal still has five more international markets to openFifty Shades of Greyin, including Korea on February 26 and the United Arab Emeriates on March 5. What remains to be seen is how the adaptation will fare both domestically and internationally throughout the rest of February and into March, when highly-anticipated movies such asChappie(March 6) andThe Divergent Series: Insurgent(March 20) debut.
Fifty Shades of GreystarsDakota JohnsonandJamie Dornanas Anastatsia Steele and Christian Grey, a naive college student and a 27-year-old billionaire who strike up a torrid affair.Sam Taylor-Johnsondirects the adaptation, with the supporting cast rounded out byLuke Grimes,Jennifer Ehle,Eloise Mumford,Rita Ora,Marcia Gay Harden,Max MartiniandVictor Rasuk. With an impressive $240 million after just a few days of release, do you think it’s possible thatFifty Shades of Greycould hit over $1 billion worldwide? Chime in with your thoughts below, and check back next week to see how the adaptation fares against a trio of new releases,Hot Tub Time Machine 2,The DUFFandMcFarland USA.
