“Transformers: Age of Extinction” has crossed the $600 million mark in worldwide grosses, Paramount said Wednesday.
Michael Bay‘s rampaging robot sequel has brought in $185.3 million domestically, but dwarfed that with its overseas haul, which is up to $$421.2 million, giving it a $606.5 million global take since opening on June 27. It has a good shot at being the year’s first billion-dollar blockbuster.
China, where it has taken in more than $225 million, has been by far the largest market and “Age of Extinction” has overtaken “Titanic” as that country’s highest grossing film ever.
Also read: ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Review: Compared To Its Predecessor, This Is a Second Banana
That was Paramount’s strategy from the outset. The studio, Di Bonaventura Productions and Hasbro brought on CCTV’s China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises as co-producers and China Film Group as distributor there. Chinese star Li Bingbing was cast in a key role and the film was shot in Hong Kong and Shanghai and features such national landmarks as the Great Wall and well-known skyscrapers as its backdrops. Director Bay and star Mark Wahlberg made several trips there before and after filming, and “Age of Extinction” had its world premiere there.
Domestically, it’s the only film to open to $100 million this year, and the summer’s first to lead the box office for two consecutive weeks.