‘Terminator: Genisys,’ ‘Minions’ Boost Foreign Box Office With Solid Performances

Launches of Paramount’s “Terminator: Genisys” and Universal’s “Minions” lifted the international box office this weekend as the tentpoles pulled in sturdy performances.

Paramount saw $74 million from international markets for the weekend — led by Russia at $12.5 million, South Korea at $11.1 million and Mexico at $6.6 million — for a foreign cume of $85.5 million from 60% of all overseas markets.

Paramount Pictures vice chairman Rob Moore told Variety that “Terminator: Genisys” should have enough firepower internationally to finish in the $300 million to $400 million range in foreign grosses — three to four times the expected U.S. final total. The film opens next week in Germany, Italy, Germany and Spain; it has not yet been dated for the booming Chinese market.

The international performance is crucial for “Terminator: Genisys.” Paramount and Skydance spent $155 million on the fifth “Terminator” and have two more entries in the franchise coming in 2016 and 2017.

The fourth film, “Terminator: Salvation,” took in $125 million domestically and another $246 million internationally in 2009.

“Minions,” which has a reported $85 million budget, opens July 10 in North America. As is often the case with animated titles, Universal has opted to launch overseas prior to U.S. opening, taking in $54.3 million from 26 markets for an international total of $124.2 million in advance of the domestic release.

The comedy opened in first in all 15 new markets and set records as the biggest opening day for an animated film in Germany, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.

Greenlighting “Minions” — a “Despicable Me” spinoff — was a no-brainer for Universal and Illumination Entertainment, given the popularity of the franchise. “Despicable Me 2″ grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide with $368 million domestically and another $602 million internationally.

Australia has been the top “Minions” market so far with $15.1 million in two weeks.

Universal also saw “Jurassic World” put the bite on $42 million in 66 territories during the weekend, raising the international total to $826.9 million — about the same total as the U.S. grosses for its fourth weekend. That gives the dino thriller more than $1.39 billion in worldwide grosses, enough to surpass “Avengers: Age of Ultron” for the fifth spot on that list.

China took in grosses of $9.3 million in the fourth and final week of release for “Jurassic World,” for a 24-day total of $223.2 million, passing “Avatar” to become the fourth highest grossing film in China, behind “Fast and Furious 7″ with $391 million, “Transformers: Age of Extinction” with $320 million and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” with $235 million.

“Jurassic World” will open in its final market in Japan on Aug. 5.

The launch of Chinese comedy-fantasy “Monk Comes Down the Mountain” came in fourth on the international chart with $28 million in three markets — most of that from China. The director is Chen Kaige, who won the Palme D’Or at Cannes in 1993 for “Farewell My Concubine.”

Disney’s “Inside Out” took in $18.6 million in its third weekend of release from 43 territories, representing approximately 45% of the international marketplace. International cume is $117.3 million, led by Mexico with $24.9 million and Russia with $17.2 million, making it the second biggest Disney or Pixar animated release after “Frozen.”

“Magic Mike XXL” saw moderate performance in a limited international launch with $6.2 million at 2,572 screens in 15 markets, led by the U.K. with $2.5 million, on par with the original. Australia, France and Spain open next weekend.

Related stories

July 4th Box Office Lacks Spark As 'Terminator: Genisys,' 'Magic Mike XXL' Fail to Draw Crowds

Box Office: 'Inside Out' Outshines 'Magic Mike,' 'Terminator' Sequels

Box Office: 'Magic Mike XXL,' 'Terminator Genisys' No Match for 'Inside Out,' 'Jurassic World'

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter