âFifty Shadesâ goes global, but film too hot for some countries
The steamy novel âFifty Shades of Greyâ is a global phenomenon, but fans in China and other countries will not be able to see the movie version in theaters even though the sex scenes have has been toned down for the big screen.
Fifty Shades of Grey Dakota Johnson
The distributor, Comcast Corp unit Universal Pictures, is not pursuing a theatrical release in China â the worldâs second-largest film market â according to a source with knowledge of the studioâs plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. Sexually explicit films generally do not make it past Chinese government censors.
In Malaysia, the head of the film censorship board called it âmore pornography than a movie,â according to Hollywood trade publication Variety. The distributor in Indonesia said the film did not meet the countryâs censorship standards.
At the filmâs London premiere, âFifty Shadesâ author E.L. James said, âOh, the book was banned in a few countries.
âItâs great publicity, and you know the DVD will come out and hopefully theyâll get to see it then.â
It is unclear whether âFifty Shadesâ will be shown in India or throughout the Middle East. Only Lebanon is scheduled to show it.
BOOK FRENZY DRIVES TURNOUT
Film critics have found the sex scenes tamer than the book. âThose looking for hot, kinky sex will be disappointed,â Claudia Puig of the newspaper USA Today wrote in her review.
âAngelâ and âBuffy the Vampire Slayerâ stunner Charisma Carpenter goes very nude in TheAsylumâsBound, a Fifty Shades of Grey knockoff about a sexually repressed MILF who discovers the BDSM lifestyle in the hands of a younger man.
The film took in $28.6 million in 34 markets where it played on Wednesday and Thursday and set several records. In Argentina, the movie ranked as the largest opening day ever for any film in that market.
âFifty Shadesâ collected $8.6 million Thursday night in the United States and Canada, which together form the worldâs biggest movie market.
A Universal spokesman declined to comment on whether the film was edited for some overseas markets, where studios get an increasingly larger share of ticket sales.
âFifty Shades of Greyâ is the first volume in a trilogy by James. The three books have sold more than 100 million copies and have been translated into 52 languages.
âJust do the math on that,â said Phil Contrino, chief analyst at movie website Boxoffice.com. âEven if a third of the people who have read the book go to see the movie, thatâs a lot of money right there.â
Fans are counting on a sequel or sequels to see the other two books brought to the screen, but Universal has not yet said whether there will be another âFifty Shadesâ film.
Box Office Dominatrix: ‘Fifty Shades’ Nabs $30.2M Friday for Record $80M-Plus Debut
Fifty Shades of Grey is easily seducing the North American box office, grossing a potent $30.2 million Friday for a possible $80 million-plus debut over the long Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekend.
Universal’s R-rated film adaptation of EL James‘ S&M-laced romance novel will easily best the $63.1 million launch of Valentine’s Day in 2010 to tie up the best showing of all time for the holiday. Universal is playing it safe and estimating $76.1 million for the four days, although other box office pundits believe Fifty Shades could land north of $80 million, thanks to what’s expected to be a huge turnout on Valentine’s Day.
The weekend’s second new release, Matthew Vaughn‘s Kingsman: The Secret Service, is no slouch either. The Fox film, earning a B+ CinemaScore, opened to an estimated $10.5 million on Friday for $38 million-$40 million debut, well ahead of expectations. Combined, the two movies should help deliver one of the best Presidents Day weekend of all time in terms of overall revenue.
Fifty Shades is likewise doing seductive business overseas, where it could gross $75 million-plus after earning $28.6 million on Wednesday and Thursday from its first 34 territories.
From Fox, Kingsman hopes to serve as counterprogramming by providing an alternative for males, as well as females not so interested in Fifty Shades (females made up 42 percent of Friday’s audience). The movie, described as James Bond-meets-Kick-Ass, stars Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson. The $80 million-plus film has received far better reviews than Fifty Shades, as well as a stronger exits.
In the film, Firth plays a quirky spy training his young, sometimes stubborn, recruits. Kingsman is playing in 3,204 locations.
Elsewhere at the North American box office, Clint Eastwood‘s American Sniper will jump the $300 million mark sometime on Sunday, while The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water will stay high up on the chart in its second weekend as it approaches $100 million in domestic box office receipts.
Brunette wears bare breast fetish dress inspired by the erotic classic âThe Story of Oâ and featured in âFifty Shades of Grayâ. The boobs and nipples are always exposed and must be offered for any use the master pleases.
‘Fifty Shades’ Box Office: Country-by-Country Breakdown
The film adaptation of EL James’ risque novel nabs $158 million offshore, the biggest launch of all time for an R-rated movie.
Fifty Shades of Grey is a worldwide dominatrix, tying up the biggest international opening of all time for an R-rated film with $158 million from 58 markets.
In North America, the Universal title is poised to gross a record $90.7 million over the long Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekend for a global debut of $248.7 million.
The female-fueled film adaptation of EL James‘ S&M-laced romance novel likewise broke numerous records offshore, including securing the biggest opening of all time in 11 markets, including Argentina, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Ukraine. And in 31 markets, it was the top launch for a film with the equivalent of an R rating or greater, including in conservative countries such as the Philippines and Mexico. It ranks as Universal’s top opening in 30 territories, while it is the top February start in much of the world.
All told, James’ Fifty Shades trilogy has been translated into 52 languages, and sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
The movie, starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, has five territories in which to open, including South Korea and United Arab Emirates. It’s been banned in Malaysia and Indonesia and won’t likely play in many Middle Eastern countries.
Here’s a look at how Fifty Shades fared:
EUROPE
The U.K. and Ireland, $21.5 million. Biggest opening weekend for a film with an ultra-restrictive 18 rating. It’s also the ninth-biggest debut of all time, not accounting for inflation.
Germany, 15.2 million. No. 2 opening ever for a Universal title.
France, $12 million. Biggest R-rated opening, and biggest Universal opening.
Russia, $10.5 million. Biggest opening for a film with an 18 or 16 rating, and biggest Universal opening.
Italy, 9.1 million. Biggest R-rated opening, and biggest Universal opening.
Spain, $7.9 million. Biggest opening for a film rated 18.
LATIN AMERICA
Brazil, $8.9 million. Biggest opening for a film rated 16, and biggest Universal opening.
Mexico, $8.1 million. Biggest opening for a film rated C.
Argentina, $3.8 million. Biggest opening weekend of all time.
ASIA PACIFIC
Australia, $8.6 million. Biggest opening for a film rated R, and Universal’s biggest non-holiday opening.
Philippines, $2.2 million. Biggest opening for a film with an 18 rating, and the biggest February debut for a foreign release.
New Zealand, $1.1 million. Biggest opening for an R-rated film.