Euro cold spell can't slow 'Ghost'

In the Feb. 3-5 weekend that saw lots of northern Europe digging from under snowstorms, Paramount's "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" collected $24.3 million, notching its third-straight frame atop the overseas box office (and fifth overall towards the top) and pushing the pic's worldwide take past the $400 million mark. Getting an international cume of $626 million, "Ghost Protocol" might be the finest-grossing pic globally for Tom Cruise, whose previous best, "War in the Cell phone industry's," made $591.7 million in 2005. "Ghost Protocol" is playing in 64 overseas areas, including China, where the film made around $20 million in 72 hrs. That reps a 46% gain round the film's two-day opening the last weekend, getting a present local cume of $55.7 million. "Ghost Protocol" accomplished good results in the stockpile of screens in China -- roughly 3,000 -- in contrast together with other areas like Italia, where the pic examined at 367 locales for just about any weekend total of $1.6 000 0000, losing a great 47% within the second outing, getting its local cume to $5.5 million. Also undertaking well overseas, last century Fox's teen thriller "Chronicle" first demonstrated in 3 3 areas for just about any three-day gross of $12.9 million. It bowed finest in the U.K., where it assigned the chart, at $3.5 million, then Australia and Russia, which brought $3.millions of and $2 million, correspondingly. Pic bowed at No. one out of Oz, too as with second-devote Russia. Winter in the united states will be a primary factor because market's so-so results, particularly to see relatives films like Disney's "The Muppets," which completed slightly under anticipation, collecting just $millions of on 360 screens. "The Muppets" collected a reported weekend total of $3.5 million, pushing the pic's offshore cume to $30.2 million. Emilio Mayorga brought with this report. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com