Der aktuelle Transformers-Film mag zwar Ära des Untergangs heißen, hat jedoch an der Kinokasse genau die gegenteilige Wirkung. In den ersten 12 Tagen hat der Film weltweit bereits beeindruckende 576 Millionen Dollar eingenommen. Die Zahl insofern ziemlich eindrucksvoll, da Ära des Untergangs in wichtigen Märkten wie Europa und Südamerika aufgrund der Fußball-WM noch gar nicht angelaufen ist.
Allein 212 Millionen Dollar stammen aus China, was Transformers 4 dort in Kürze zum finanziell erfolgreichsten Film aller Zeiten machen wird.
Noch diese Woche wird er die bisherigen Spitzenreiter Lost in Thailand (chinesische Komödie aus dem Jahr 2012, 223 Mio) und James Camerons Avatar (222 Mio) überflügeln.
In seinem Heimatmarkt USA hängt Transformers 4 hinter den beiden Vorgängern Die dunkle Seite des Mondes (2011) und Transformers 2 (2009) zurück, auf internationalem Parkett wird das jedoch wieder mehr als ausgeglichen.
Der Film sollte keine Probleme haben, X-Men in einigen Wochen als den bisherigen Spitzenreiter des Jahres abzulösen.
Bei uns startet der Film am 17. Juli.
Die erfolgreichsten Filme des Jahres 2014 (bisher, weltweit):
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past (725 Millionen Dollar)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (712 Mio)
3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (704 Mio)
4. Maleficent (630 Mio)
5. Transformers: Age of Extinction (576 Mio)
Einspielergebnisse der Transformers-Filme (weltweit):
2007: Transformers (710 Millionen Dollar)
2009: Transformers 2 (836 Mio)
2011: Transformers: Die dunkle Seite des Mondes (1.124 Mio)
2014: Transformers: Ära des Untergangs (bisher 576 Mio)
Michael Bay's tentpole, grossing $575.6 million globally in its first 12 days, will become the No. 1 film of all time in China sometime this week.
Paramount's summer tentpole Transformers: Age of Extinction continues to amaze in China, where it zoomed past $200 million over the weekend to become the No. 2 grossing film of all time ahead of local hit Lost in Thailand.
And by midweek, the movie should eclipse James Cameron's Avatar ($221.9 million) to become the top-grossing movie in history at the Chinese box office, not accounting for inflation.
Worldwide, Age of Extinction has earned $575.6 million in its first 12 days in release, including $400.9 million overseas. The international number is especially impressive considering it won't launch in Latin America or most European countries until after the World Cup soccer championships.
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China is the biggest market, where Age of Extinction grossed $50.9 million in its second weekend for a cume of $212.8 million, followed by North America, where the fourth installment in the action franchise grossed $36.2 million in its second weekend for a total of $174.6 million.
That's followed by Russia ($35.7 million), South Korea ($34.2 million), Australia ($17.7 million), Taiwan ($14.7 million) and Hong Kong ($10.3 million).
Age of Extinction has generated sizable returns for Imax, becoming the fastest movie in history to reach $50 million in ticket sales. In China alone, Imax theaters have notched up $20 million in ticket sales, a record.
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In North America, Age of Extinction is pacing behind the last two films in the series, the reverse of overseas. Box office observers believe the movie has a strong shot at reaching $800 million globally, the best showing of the year so far. Transformers: Dark of the Moon took in a franchise-best $1.123 billion worldwide, followed by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ($836 million).
Paramount considers Age of Extinction a reboot, considering it features a new leading man (Mark Wahlberg) and cast.