French Comedy ‘Untouchables’ Passes ‘Pirates 4’ in Germany

COLOGNE, Germany – The French odd couple comedy Untouchables is proving unstoppable in Germany, as it continues its reign at the top of the box office charts and passes the benchmark of 5 million tickets sold.

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The title, which has revived fortunes of German independent distributor Senator, has sold some 5.04 million tickets so far, passing such studio tentpoles as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Transformers: Dark of the Moon in the territory. Untouchables has actually nearly doubled the 2.6 million admissions of Transformers 3 in Germany.

The French comedy, about the odd friendship between an aristocratic paraplegic and his black ex-con care worker, has earned close to $50 million in Germany. The higher ticket cost for 3D films, however, means Untochables still hasn't earned as much in Germany as Pirates 4, which sold just under 4.4 million tickets for a $60 million total take.

With little in the way of competition in the coming weeks, Untouchables looks set to retain its spot at the top of the German charts, a position it has held for the past six weeks. 

The film is already the most successful French movie of all time in Germany, having earned more here than the previous two record holders - Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amelie and Dany Boon’s Welcome to the Land of Shtis - combined.

Worldwide, Untouchables has earned around $240 million with the majority of territories still to come. The Weinstein Company plans to bow the French hit stateside May 25.