‘How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’ Takes Top Slot At Global Box Office

Universal’s strategy to launch How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World internationally ahead of its U.S. bow is paying off. The Dreamworks Animation feature owned the top spot at the global box office last weekend, pulling in $40.2 million.

The film has grossed $84.4 million from 41 international markets since it launched in early January in Australia and New Zealand. Last weekend, the Dean DeBlois-directed film had its biggest expansion yet, opening in 23 new foreign markets. It was the no. 1 film in twenty of those spots, lead by Mexico which delivered $7.7 million from 865 locations, marking the biggest launch ever for a Dreamworks film in that country. It also opened in the top spot in the U.K. with $6.8 million.

The film was also the best all-time Dreamworks debut in Malaysia, with $1.9 million, and the second-biggest animation launch ever in Thailand, with $1.8 million.

In Brazil, Hidden World has earned $10.3 million over three weekends, while Australia has delivered $15.5 million since it opened there on January 3.

The film launches in France and Germany this week, ahead of its U.S. debut on February 22.

So far, the final installment of the trilogy has garnered near-unanimous praise from critics and currently owns a 98% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Back in 2014, How to Train Your Dragon 2 performed strongly in overseas markets ($444.5 million), and with the addition of its U.S. gross ($177m), ended up with a global gross of $621.5 million.