Letting The Goblet of Fire prepare the marketplace for its arrival, The Chronicles of Narnia grossed $41.5 million from just 13 markets.
Narnia amassed $16 million from 499 screens in the United Kingdom, its biggest territory. Not only was it the fourth biggest opening ever for a non-sequel, but it topped the debuts of both The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
Several other territories supplied records for the picture. In Spain, Narnia grossed $7.5 million from 359 screens, making it the third largest opening ever there behind Torrente 3 and Goblet of Fire. The C.S. Lewis fantasy generated $5.9 million from 396 screens in Mexico, the fifth highest launch there on record. In New Zealand, it snared $1 million from 107 screens, becoming the largest opening ever for a non-sequel.
Numerous markets, although furnishing first place finishes, didn’t fare as well. In Germany, Narnia grossed $6 million from 1,056 screens, a smaller gross than Goblet of Fire did in its third weekend and well below the standards of the Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings franchises.
Other moderate starts were Brazil’s $1.4 million from 232 screens, Austria’s $1.1 million from 89 and Switzerland’s $1 million.