LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - After a middling $48 million bow in North America, "Mission: Impossible III" bowed robustly overseas with estimated weekend sales of $70.3 million from 57 territories.
The Tom Cruise thriller did particularly well in South Korea ($10.6 million vs. $2 million for "Mission 2"), the U.K. ($10.1 million vs $6.8 million), France ($6 million for both) and Mexico ($3 million vs $2.5 million).
But it tanked in Germany, even by star Cruise's traditionally low standards there ($3 million vs $7.7 million). Industry observers noted that Germany is not friendly to Cruise's Scientology religion.
"M:i:iii" is not the biggest international opening for a Cruise film. "War of the Worlds" drew $102.5 million in its first five days overseas last July.