Disney's blockbuster hit, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, continued to chart new waters and rewrite the record books at the global box office with its unprecedented 6-day opening tally of US$404 million, it was announced today by Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Marketing and Distribution. The film exceeded the weekend estimates with its 6-day final cume, and easily surpassed the previous opening record of US$382 million set by "Spider-Man 3" just a few weeks ago. Audiences around the world gave the film a ringing endorsement with resoundingly strong exit poll figures across the board.
Domestically, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" claimed a new milestone with the all-time biggest four-day gross for a Memorial Day (or any holiday) weekend. The film grossed US$139.8 million over the four-day holiday period (Friday through Monday) and boosted its cume to a swashbuckling US$153 million.
Adding to its status as a box office phenomenon in 102 international territories (on an unprecedented 17,500 screens), Disney's latest "Pirates" adventure sailed into the record books with its opening gross (through Monday) of US$251 million. The film posted record-breaking industry openings in 17 territories: Argentina, Ecuador, Holland, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Norway, Panama, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine and Venezuela. Through Monday, May 28, the film continues to set Walt Disney Studios records in such countries as the U.K. (US$34.5 million), Germany (US$22.9 million), France (US$22 million), Korea (US$19.3 million), Japan (US$18.4 million), Russia (US$15.4 million), Spain (US$13.2 million), Australia (US$10.5 million), and a consolidated Latin American regional gross of US$22.9 million. "Pirates" still has a few markets yet to open including China and India.
Commenting on the announcement, Zoradi said, "'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' is truly becoming a cultural phenomenon all over the world and the global box office returns have continued to exceed our expectations and estimates. We're delighted that audiences everywhere are enjoying this epic adventure and clearly spreading the word. Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, along with the spectacular cast headed by Johnny Depp, have delivered a motion picture experience that thrills and satisfies on so many levels. We're ecstatic with this record-setting opening and have tremendous expectations for a long and profitable run."
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" picks up where the record-breaking 2006 smash hit left off, with our heroes Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' locker. With the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman, and its commander Davy Jones under the control of the East India Trading Company, there is havoc on the Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, the heroic trio must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat). Now headed beyond the very ends of the earth, each must ultimately choose a side in a final titanic battle -- as not only their lives and fortunes, but the entire future of the freedom-loving Pirate way hangs in the balance.
Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Walt Disney Studios
