'Pirates of the Caribbean' Earns $18.5 Million Internationally

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides racked up an $18.5 million opening day gross Wednesday on the foreign theatrical circuit in 10 overseas territories, according to figures reported today by Walt Disney Pictures.

First day offshore box office for the fourth title in the lucrative Pirates series produced by Jerry Bruckheimer beats by nearly 50 percent the comparable opening day tally of the third title in the franchise, 2007’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, which opened in 16 foreign territories.

Biggest single market for the Tides in 3D was Russia, where the opening day registered $5 million, which Disney described as a record first day in the market. The figure was 80 percent above the debut day recorded by At World’s End, which is the top foreign grosser so far of the Pirates titles with an overseas tally of $654 million -- more than double its domestic take.

In the U.K., Tides recorded $3.2 million in its opening day, $3.3 million in France (38 percent above the comparable At World’s End figure in the market), $1.7 million in Italy and $1.3 million in Sweden, the biggest first day figure ever in the market.

The first three titles in the Pirates series – including 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and 2006’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest -- have grossed a total of $2.68 billion worldwide, of which $1.65 billion came from foreign playoff.