The Energon Pub

Variety has posted an update on the international box office, which was dominated this weekend by Shrek the Third. Here are the results for Transformers, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (which added $9 million domestically for a total of $114.8 million) and Spider-Man 3:

But there was plenty of international green for tentpoles as "Transformers" debuted ahead of its U.S. launch with a stellar $34.7 million at 2,261 in 10 territories and "Live Free or Die Hard" shot down a solid $30.7 million at 3,583 in day and date openings in 35 markets...

Paramount also saw stalwart numbers from "Transformers," which logged the top per-location average with $15,351, as the disrib opted for playing into local holidays plus distancing itself from Warner's mid-July launch of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." South Korea sparked to "Transformers" in the fourth biggest launch ever with $12.4 million at 549 while the Michael Bay pic posted the best 4-day launch ever in Singapore with $1.7 million.

"Transformers" led in all 10 of its markets, including Australia with $6.7 million, Italy with $3.6 million, Taiwan with $3 million and the Philippines with $2.1 million; in eight of those, it topped "War of the Worlds," which rang up a stellar $357 million overseas in 2005. "Transformers" moves into a dozen more markets next weekend, including Russia, Spain and Scandinavia.

Well so far it's looking like they'll definitely make a profit.

But will it be THE blockbuster of the year or will Mr Potter sink it?

So far it's not the flop the Bay-haters wanted it to be, eh?

Burn wrote:But will it be THE blockbuster of the year or will Mr Potter sink it?

I sincerely hope that TF would not get beat by any sequel, especially the 5th movie of a franchise...

I think this thing will see $300 million in the U.S. alone. I plan on seeing it 3 times myself.