The lion roared significantly louder this weekend as Buena Vista International's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" solidified its No. 1 position internationally with an estimated three-day gross of $30.6 million, generating an international cume-to-date of a mighty $277 million at 7,550 screens.

Combined with its domestic take, "Narnia's" total theatrical boxoffice stands at $525 million, making the adaptation of C.S. Lewis' fantasy classic the eighth-most-popular live-action film ever released by Buena Vista, which handles Disney product. "Narnia" already is BVI's fourth-biggest live-action title after "The Sixth Sense" ($531 million) and "Armageddon" ($555 million) and is expected to outgross those two titles during the coming weekend.

In the U.K., "Narnia" drew an estimated $3.3 million at 530 screens for a cume of $66.5 million. In France, it claimed the top spot with an estimated $5.9 million in its third weekend at 857 screens for a cume of $28.1 million, while in South Korea it finished second with $2.3 million in its second weekend at 291 screens for a cume of $9.4 million. "Narnia" also held well in Italy, where it was No. 2, and Spain, where because of a three-day holiday the film jumped 72% to finish No. 1 at 381 screens with $2.5 million in its fifth weekend.

"Considering that 'Narnia' pretty much came out of the blue, it's turning out to be quite a phenomenon," BVI vp international theatrical sales and distribution David Kornblum said.

Universal's "King Kong," meanwhile, is holding well, grossing an estimated $24 million during the weekend at 6,900 playdates in 57 territories -- off a relatively benign 17% from the previous weekend. The 26-day international total gross is $272 million, which, combined with "Kong's" domestic tally, puts it total global boxoffice take at about $465 million. The Peter Jackson remake passed "Gladiator" to become Universal's third-highest-grossing film of all time behind "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost World," respectively.

In the U.K., "Kong" drew an estimated $3.9 million during the weekend at 473 screens for a 25-day cume of $45.4 million, according to Universal, which said it will tie "Narnia" for the No. 1 slot. In France, "Kong" finished second with an estimated weekend tally of $1.4 million at 771 screens for a cume of $22.5 million. In Germany, it ranked No. 3 with an estimated $2 million at 713 screens, off just 4% from the previous weekend, for a 26-day cume of $18.8 million. In Japan, where it ranked No. 4, "Kong" yielded an estimated $1.4 million during the weekend at 305 screens, up 5% over the weekend before. The 23-day cume is $15.5 million.

BVI also had out "Chicken Little," which pulled an estimated $5.9 million during the weekend at 3,551 screens for a cume of $105.5 million, becoming the 18th BVI animation title to cross the $100 million mark internationally.

Universal debuted "Jarhead," director Sam Mendes' drama about a U.S. soldier's experiences in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, in nine territories for an estimated $4 million at 960 screens.

Sony increased its rollout of "Fun With Dick and Jane" to 11 territories for a weekend estimate of $5.2 million at 1,030 screens and a cume-to-date of $11 million. The remake of the 1977 comedy did notably well in Germany, Austria, German-speaking Switzerland and Portugal, finishing in the No. 1 spot in each market. In its second weekend in Australia, "Dick and Jane" pulled in an estimated $1.2 million from 244 screens for a cume of $6 million.

Fox International's "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" opened at 40 screens in New Zealand for a weekend estimate of $178,000. The comedy pulled $1.2 million at 434 screens in Mexico for a market cume of $4.2 million, while in the U.K. it yielded an estimated $1.4 million in its second week at 327 screens for a cume of $7.3 million.

Fox's "The Family Stone" drew an estimated $1.7 million from 252 screens in Spain, making it No. 2 in the market. Its cume-to-date is $16 million.