‘Titanic’ Hits Jackpot on Pacific Rim

This “Titanic” isn’t having any problem crossing oceans--at least the Pacific. Open in nine markets--mostly in south Asia--James Cameron’s epic is drawing huge crowds and commensurate grosses.

“It’s basically standing room only,” said Jim Gianopulos, president of 20th Century Fox International. “It’s virtually sold out in every market. We first realized the enormous anticipation in Japan when, in the preeminent theater of Tokyo, which seats 1,100, they had a 7:30 a.m. show on opening day. And it was packed.”

By Sunday, “Titanic” had grossed $25.8 million in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand. It opened Dec. 18 and 20 in most of those places, and Dec. 26 in Thailand. (It opened Dec. 19 in the U.S.)

The $200-million-plus movie reportedly will have to gross at least $350 million to break even. It crossed the $100-million mark in North America on Tuesday night, reaching that milestone faster than any previous film of more than three hours, according to Paramount, which is handling the film’s distribution in the United States and Canada.

In the U.S., Paramount spokesman Rob Friedman said, there appears to be a significant number of repeat viewers; the company has only anecdotal evidence so far, he said, but may begin formal polling at theaters starting next week.

“Titanic” opens this weekend in Mexico and Iceland and will move into Europe during the first weeks of this month.

In contrast to North America, where the movie is playing on 2,711 screens, “Titanic” is showing on fewer than 100 screens in Australia and Asia. In Japan, where the film made $11.5 million between Dec. 20 and 28, it is on only 216 screens. Japan is also beginning the new year Shogatsu holidays, he added, so he anticipates continued sellouts.

Already “Titanic” packed screenings in 60 theaters in South Africa and broke nine all-time house records at a large theater in Hong Kong.

The international grosses are second only to “Independence Day’s” in Fox’s history. Because of “Titanic’s” length, it gets fewer screenings each day compared to the 1996 film. If that were not the case, Gianopulos said, it would be at the same level as “Independence Day,” which eventually took in $508 million in international box-office receipts.

Fox plans to roll “Titanic” into more theaters in these countries, but the holiday glut of movies limited screen availability. To start, Gianopulos said, Fox aimed for the “biggest screens in the biggest multiplexes in the biggest markets.”

This type of event picture typically plays well overseas, he said. The film has all the right ingredients for a worldwide hit: a dramatic story, a romance featuring the very popular Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as a well-known director and fancy special effects.

“When you put all those elements together, you’re touching on the characteristics of a very broad audience,” Gianopulos said.