Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Red One’ Unwraps $26 Million at International Box Office, ‘Venom 3’ Nears $400 Million Globally

In its first international box office run, "Red One," a Christmas-themed film starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Santa's head of security, didn't have a lot to offer. Over the weekend, the movie brought in a meager $26.6 million from 25,195 screens in 75 foreign markets.

In contrast, during its third weekend of release, "Venom: The Last Dance" brought in $33 million from 66 foreign markets in the same three-day period. To date, the third and last installment of Sony's comic book trilogy has brought in $279.4 million abroad and $394.2 million worldwide. Despite its continued popularity after its first weekend, "Venom 3," the latest installment in the Tom Hardy-led alien symbiote saga, is lagging behind its predecessors. 2018's "Venom" ($642 million worldwide and  (under production).($293 million internationally and $506 million worldwide) and 2021's "Let There Be Carnage" ($856 million globally). However, "The Last Dance" will be positioned fairly well during its theatrical run because it only cost $120 million, which is a relatively low budget when compared to other comic book adaptations.

"Venom: The Last Dance" Sinks Fangs Into the U.K., Ireland Box Office Throne "Red One" is expected to make between $20 million and $40 million when it opens on November 15 at the domestic box office.

With an outrageous price tag of almost $250 million, the movie, which is being released by Warner Bros. in foreign markets and Amazon MGM in North America, requires a lengthy run on the big screen to make up for that expense, not including international marketing campaigns. But box office receipts aren't the only thing that matters to Amazon MGM. The tech giant views theatrical releases as a means of attracting top talent and creating excitement for Prime Video, its streaming service.

Well-liked on Variety
In the UK, "Red One" had the best start, opening in second place with $3.2 million from 902 screens. Mexico brought in $2.3 million, China brought in a soft $2 million, and Spain brought in $1.5 million on other opening weekends. "Red One," which begins with the kidnapping of Saint Nick (J.K. Simmons), has received mixed reviews. It centers on a rescue mission headed by a stern North Pole bodyguard (Johnson) and an unintentional bounty hunter (Chris Evans). The film was directed by Jake Kasdan ("Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle").


In other news, Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot" is getting close to $300 million at the global box office. Currently, there are $292.4 million in ticket sales worldwide, including $161.5 million abroad.