With Illumination Entertainment’s Minions opening strong in 26 international territories and the strong week-to-week hold from Jurassic World, Universal Pictures International’s (UPI) 2015 box office grosses have crossed $3 billion, the fastest that any studio has reached this milestone in history. UPI overtakes the record set by 20th Century Fox in October of 2014. This also marks the first time in Universal’s 103-year history that the studio has reached $3 billion at the international box office. The announcement was made today by Duncan Clark, President of Distribution, UPI.
“We are proud of our slate and the accompanying success, which is due to the hard work of our filmmakers and our tireless Universal Pictures team,” said Clark. “From our production group, who have been so brilliant at nurturing our homegrown franchises, to the best marketing and distribution teams in the business—both in London and Los Angeles—and our dedicated teams around the world, this year has been a joy for every member of our organization.”
UPI’s success thus far has been fueled by the tremendous results of films including Fifty Shades of Grey ($403.6 million), Fast & Furious 7 ($1.160 billion), Pitch Perfect 2 ($96.6 million), Jurassic World ($843.9 million) and early results in 26 international territories from Minions ($141.7 million), which opens in North America and 25 additional international markets this weekend.
2015 Universal Pictures International highlights to date include:
· Universal currently has three of the top four highest-grossing films of the year.
· The studio’s films opened No. 1 worldwide three times in 2015, and have been No. 1 at the international box office for nine weeks—more than any other studio.
· Illumination Entertainment’s Minions, which is only open in 26 international markets, scored the highest opening for an animated film of all-time in five territories.
· Jurassic World had the biggest opening weekend of all-time internationally, domestically and worldwide. It is the fifth-highest-grossing film of all-time worldwide and the ninth-highest-grossing film internationally. It also became the fastest film to reach $1 billion worldwide after only 13 days in release. Jurassic World opens in its final territory, Japan, on August 5.
· Pitch Perfect 2 is having a great run at the international box office and has grossed $96.6 million in 49 territories to date. Pitch Perfect 2 opens in an additional 13 territories in the coming weeks.
· Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson led the all-star returning cast of Fast & Furious 7 to a gross of more than $1.160 billion at the international box office. Among countless records, Fast & Furious 7 is the highest-grossing film ever in China ($390.8 million) and the third-highest-grossing film at the international box office ever, joining the ranks of Avatar and Titanic as only the third film in history to reach $1 billion in international box office.
· Fifty Shades of Grey is studio’s highest-grossing R-rated film of all-time. The film has grossed $403.6 million at the international box office.
