Australian blockbuster Tomorrow, When The War Began did not lift an ordinary box office weekend in the UK.
The Paramount action teen film, made for an estimated $27 million, opened in the UK on a rather unfortunate weekend, which saw people bypass local multiplexes.
The Stuart Beattie film, opening more than seven months after it was first seen on Australian shores, took in £84,781 ($131,695) from 204 screens, giving it a low screen average of just £415 ($643).
To put the weekend into perspective, animated hit Rio had a screen average of just £2744 ($4264) in its opening weekend, while Hop – which had a massive opening in the US with $US37.5 million – took in £606,753 in its second weekend with a screen average of £1216 ($1887).
Pundits believe Brits stayed away from cinemas due to the best seasonal weather they have had this year.
Tomorrow, When The War Began, produced by Omnilab Media’s production arm Ambience Entertainment, was last year’s biggest Australian movie at the local box office, raking in $13.5 million and was shown for 16 weeks.
A deal hasn’t been made with a US distributor, despite largely positive reviews and Beattie’s well-known presence in North America after penning the Pirates of the Caribbean series and Collateral.
The film, based on the John Marsden novel, tells the tale of a group of teenagers who go on a camping trip, only to return home and find their country has been invaded by an unknown army.
A sequel was announced in late-February, however this could be delayed due to Beattie’s other commitments.