“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” already ranks as the third-biggest movie of the year in North America, after earning $201.2 million since it blasted into theaters on Wednesday, distributor Paramount Pictures said on Sunday.
The haul handily beat industry expectations, and falls just short of the five-day opening record of $203.8 million set last year by “The Dark Knight,” the second-biggest film of all time in North America before adjusting for inflation.
The biggest of the new markets was China, which chipped in $21.9 million, a record for an English-language film, the Viacom Inc (VIAb.N)-owned studio said. Other notable openings included South Korea ($14.9 million), Australia ($13 million) and Russia ($11.8 million). In those markets, the film surpassed its 2007 predecessor in local currency terms, Paramount said.
The first “Transformers” earned $708 million worldwide in 2007, the fifth-biggest film of the year. It ranked at No. 3 in North America with sales of $319 million. The new film should pass that tally next week, with business boosted by the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the United States.