‘Ready Player One’ Impresses China

Ready, Player One
Ready, Player One (photo: Facebook/ Screenshot)
By Faith MagbanuaApril 7th, 2018

Kicking off its opening weekend with a strong international debut, particularly in China, the film 'Ready Player One' has received massive positive reviews from its audiences.

The VR fantasy saw the biggest Warner Bros.' opening weekend ever in China, where it led with $61.7 million from 18,200 screens.

The movie is said to be an action-packed sci-fi film that will take its viewers at the edge of their seats.

Set in 2045, with where the world is on the brink of chaos and collapse, the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance).

However, when Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger.

The film, which is a latest from Steven Spielberg, has been released a day before its release date internationally in 62 markets, claiming $128 million since Tuesday previews. With a four-day domestic opening of $52.3 million, the worldwide weekend total rounds to $181.2 million.

Both "Ready Player One" and "Pacific Rim Uprising" are showing superior strength overseas, making more than double their domestic grosses internationally over this weekend.

In addition, Korea marked "Ready Player One"'s second strongest debut, with an estimated $8.1 million on 1,079 screens. In the U.K., the film grossed $7.3 million from 1,251 screens, along with $6.1 million from 2,793 screens in Russia and $6 million on 719 screens in France.

The film also performed in other top markets, which include Mexico ($4 million from 2,083 screens), Spain ($3.1 million from 570 screens), Australia ($3.1 million from 480 screens) and Italy ($3.1 million from 570 screens.).

"Pacific Rim Uprising", on the other hand, took in $22.2 million in 63 markets, reaching $96.6 million internationally in its two weeks of release. Universal's sci-fi film made $9.2 million in 3,708 theaters during its second weekend at the North American box office.

While the sequel to 2013's "Pacific Rim" is being released through Legendary East in China, its three-day weekend should yield $9.2 million with a cumulative total of $89.6 million. All together, "Pacific Rim Uprising" has made $231.9 million worldwide, including China. The film launched in Japan - one of the film's key markets - on April 13.

Fittingly on Easter weekend, "Peter Rabbit" crossed $230.7 million at the worldwide box office, thanks to a solid $32.1 million internationally over the holiday weekend. The animated family film launched in 17 new markets this weekend, led by Netherlands ($1 million) and Belgium ($790,000), both including previews. The film opens in in France next week, followed by South Korea and Japan in May.

Meanwhile, Marvel's "Black Panther" continues its record-breaking streak, taking in $7.7 million internationally in its seventh weekend. Combined with its $11.3 million at the domestic box office, its global weekend total lands at $19 million. As of Sunday, it has grossed $1.27 billion worldwide to date.

 

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