International box office: 'Harry Potter' hovers at the top

For the fourth consecutive weekend,
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 takes the top spot at the box office internationally, with $61.8 million in 61 markets. It has now passed
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, moving up to third place on the all-time worldwide chart with $1.134 billion.

This last installment of the most successful film franchise stands at $791.1 million - more than double Deathly Hallows' US take, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Harry Potter's biggest business happened in the UK ($4.2 million), Japan ($4.75 million), Germany ($4.3 million) and France ($4 million).

The biggest market for the Harry Potter finale was in China, where it debuted in an estimated 4,200 cinemas and earned $25.5 million.

In second, The Smurfs collected $45.2 million in 42 countries, premiering in 35 markets and taking the top spot in many places, per Sony Studios.

The animated adventures of the tiny blue creatures in New York City earned $6.6 million in Brazil, $5.9 million in France, $5.5 million from Mexico, and $5.4 million in Germany - adding to a worldwide gross of $129 million.

Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger reached third this weekend with $27.5 million from 41 territories; the film now has a worldwide total of $246.2 million.

The comic book adaptation opens in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and India this week.

In fourth place, Rise of the Planet of the Apes made $23.4 million in 25 territories; it made a worldwide debut of $77.4 million.

The reboot of the 1960s and '70s franchise, starring James Franco ( 127 Hours) and Frieda Pinto ( Slumdog Millionaire), is a reboot directed by Rupert Wyatt ( The Escapist).

Apes reached the top position in Spain ($5.2 million), Australia ($5.1 million) and Russia ($5 million), exceeding the film studio's expectations.

In North America the latest installment of the Apes franchise won the top film of the weekend, opening with $54 million. It releases in 11 more markets, including the UK, France and Germany this week.

In its seventh week, Pixar's Cars 2 came in fifth with $20.1 million. The 3D animation has won the worldwide take of $443.1 million.

Other films with strong grosses this weekend were sci-fi adventures Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Super 8 from director J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg.

RC