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Inglourious Basterds Opens Big in Europe

Quentin Tarantino's new World War II film, Inglourious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger, is getting rave reviews and excellent box office in its European openings. German critics especially loved film, saying it was a paradigm shift for World War II movies. European audiences are liking what they see.

"Inglourious Basterds" is off to a good start in Europe, scoring the best opening day ever in France for a Quentin Tarantino pic with a Wednesday gross of $1.4 million from 499 playdates.

Universal Pictures Intl. also opened the film in Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland to best-ever numbers for Tarantino. Pic also finished No. 1 in Australia, where it opened Thursday, grossing $490,000 from 201.

"Basterds," about a tough band of soldiers who slip into Germany to battle Nazis, kicks into high gear Friday, when it opens in 3,165 theaters domestically. The Weinstein Co., U's partner on the film, is domestic distrib. Overseas, the pic rolls out into a total of 2,620 playdates in 22 territories, including the U.K. and Germany.

Nikki Finke reports that the film made $800,000 in Germany in its opening and is looking like a record breaker for Tarantino film openings.

It opened last night (Wednesday) in three territories -- Belgium, France, French-Switzerland -- and scored the highest Tarantino opening ever in those three markets. "The results are great. We opened No. 1 in all three markets and grossed: Belgium $143K at 63 locations, biggest Tarantino opening day; France $1.4M at 499 locations, biggest Tarantino opening day; French-Switzerland $61k at 24 locations, biggest Tarantino opening day," an insider tells me.

So, what will American audiences think about the revenge fantasy? We'll find out soon enough: Inglourious Basterds opens tomorrow in the U.S.

Posted on August 20, 2009

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