Video game movies are always a hard nut to crack, especially when these global franchises have a preference for story and character across various countries and markets. However, despite the dominance of the domestic USA market for box office draw, there are some video game movie adaptions that the box office has conquered thanks to international markets.
The inclusion of the international hits that these movies based on video games accomplish has helped to save some movies from becoming box office bombs and further proves that sometimes it’s better to appease the international market than the domestic one if properties are to thrive in the movie industry.
5 Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
International Gross: $ 305,888,070
- Domestic Gross: $ 144,174,568
- Worldwide Gross: $ 450,063,166
Pokemon enter the real world with the Detective Pikachu movie, providing audiences with the hilarious wit and voice of Ryan Reynolds in an intelligent Pikachu who seeks to solve the last case of his friend before his death. With so many iconic Pokemon on display, it’s no surprise that Detective Pikachu needed a big budget, and no surprise that international markets preferred this movie thanks to Pokemon’s overwhelming popularity in Japan.
Whilst Detective Pikachu did well in the domestic market, the international market attributed to around 68% of the movie’s total box office, proving that this was a motion picture that truly belonged with the viewing pleasure of veteran fans for the franchise.
4 Tomb Raider (2018)
International Gross: $216,700,000
- Domestic Gross: $58,250,803
- Worldwide Gross: $274,950,803
With a budget of $94,000,000, 2018’s Tomb Raider reboot made a humble $274,950,803 for a blockbuster. Providing a new origin point for the famed Lara Croft, this reboot would see a new yet familiar take on one of the most famous female protagonists in all of gaming. Tomb Raider wasn’t able to make back its budget in the domestic market, equating to just 21% of the total gross. Luckily, the international market saved the great adventurer.
Equating 78.8% of the worldwide gross for Tomb Raider, the international market provided $216,700,000 to the box office. Tomb Raider was a great hit for international markets, and the likes of European countries like the United Kingdom certainly helped, most likely due to the patriotism surrounding Lara Croft’s origin as a Brit.
3 Rampage (2018)
International Gross: $327,100,000
- Domestic Gross: $101,028,233
- Worldwide Gross: $428,128,399
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always been a fairly consistent box office draw thanks to his star power and focus on action-packed blockbusters. It might surprise some audiences to learn that Rampage is a video game movie since the franchise was originally centered around a trio of monsters that duke it out in large cities, causing the namesake of the movie, Rampage.
Rampage did fairly well domestically and internationally, but considering Rampage made triple its domestic thanks to the international market proves how big of a draw it was overseas. Perhaps there is something simple about international markets that enjoy watching giant apes fight in Chicago, much like the draw of Godzilla x Kong.
2 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2010)
International Gross: $245,606,000
- Domestic Gross: $90,759,676
- Worldwide Gross: $336,365,676
A Ubisoft franchise that received the live-action Hollywood treatment in 2010, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time brought the iconic magical dagger with the powers to reverse time to the big screen. Despite an intriguing premise, an underwhelming production with icons like Jake Gyllenhall failed to impress the domestic market and wasn’t able to scrape $100,000,000. However, the international market seemed to be its saving grace, but not enough to save it.
The international market seemed to enjoy Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time equated for 73% of its total gross with $245,606,000, well over double the domestic market. The international box office is probably a result of the multiple markets and the desirable attention of the Prince of Persia franchise across the world.
1 Warcraft (2016)
International Gross: $391,683,624
- Domestic Gross: $47,365,290
- Worldwide Gross: $439,048,914
Despite the popularity of World of Warcraft, an expansive and hugely budgeted movie based on the property failed to excite audiences in the U.S. market. However, Warcraft was a smash hit overseas, and the international market produced almost ten times the amount of box office revenue than the domestic market. With an international gross of $391,683,624, Warcraft was a small success as opposed to its underwhelming domestic market.
The film itself follows an orc horde as they attempt to invade the human world of Azeroth, where disserting orcs and humans must work together to stop this war from overflowing with death on both sides. The reason for its international market could well be the popularity that the franchise has in markets like China.
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