International box office: 'Pirates' pounds 'Panda' and 'Hangover'

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For the second week The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides gripped the top spot outside North America, adding $122.8 million to its record-breaking international opening of $260.4 million.

The fourth sequel to the fantasy-action film dropped 48 percent from last week's take but is 2011's biggest-grossing film globally with $623.7 million in just 12 days - already more than the original Pirates of the Caribbean in 2003, which made $352.9 million.

Starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Ian McShane, the top film has earned more than three times the US box office internationally, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In second, The Hangover: Part II opened with $59 million in 40 territories, stronger by three-fold than the original 2009 movie in comparable markets.

Hangover 2 took the top spot in the UK with a $16.4 million debut, in Australia with $11.6 and in France with $5.8 million. It opens this week in Germany and Russia, where it is expected to be big.

In the US, the comedy sequel soared to the top with a $138.1 million for the long holiday weekend, the all-time biggest debut for a comedy.

In third place, the animated Kung Fu Panda 2 kicked off with $57 million in only 11 markets, reaching first place in nine of the markets, including China, where the sequel earned $18.5 million (its biggest-ever opening for a foreign film), in Russia which drew $15 million and in South Korea with $13 million.

With the all-time opening records for an animation title in seven markets, including Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and India, the family film is expected to beat the original 2008 film's $631.7 million worldwide total.

Kung Fu Panda 2 features the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Gary Oldman and Jean-Claude Van Damme. It opens in 11 more markets next week, rolling out during summer for kid's school holidays.

Fast Five dropped to fourth but continued strong for the weekend with $13.3 million in 61 markets for a total of $346 million. In the US, the auto action movie with Vin Diesel has made $196 million. It opens in Japan in October.

Staying in fifth is Rio, the animated musical-comedy in 3D, with Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway.

RC