If we take a look at the worldwide box office, there is a clear winner this week. It’s Bridget Jones’s Baby, which had a $30 million international weekend and was No. 1 in 24 markets out of 39 where it opened. In the U.K. alone, it was good for a terrific $11.3 million; Australia was second with over $4 million. But $30 million is lower than what Universal had hoped for. The major setback was the U.S market, where Renée Zellweger returning as Bridget Jones 12 years after the release of The Edge of Reason, was crushed by Tom Hanks playing Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot of “The miracle on the Hudson River”: Bridget Jones’s $8.2 million against Sully’s  $22 million.

While Bridget Jones’s Baby was expected to post the best opening of its franchise with $13M-$17M, Sully, in its second weekend, grossed $22 million, for a domestic total of $70 million. Overseas, it took an extra $7 million from 44 markets, for a global cumulative approaching the $100 million mark.

There were other underperformers this weekend.  One of them was was Blair Witch, arriving 17 years after The Blair Witch Project became a cult movie for horror fans. It benefited from a marketing campaign that included virtual reality and mobile ads, and the forecasts were in the $15 to $20 million range. But it was good for just $9.7 million. 27 foreign markets added an extra $5 million.

Another misfire was Snowden, Oliver Stone’s take on Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower seen as a hero by some, as a traitor by others: with $8 million from 2000 theaters it is the lowest opening of the director’s career.

Universal was not thrilled with Bridget Jones’ results, but will be happy that its Illumination Entertainment’s The Secret Life of Pets crossed the $800 million mark at the worldwide box office. Audiences across nations and oceans continue to be curious to know what pets really do when their owners close the doors and leave: it added another $9.6 million from 60 territories.

Warner ‘s Suicide Squad crossed the $700 million mark. The studio claimed another victory thanks to The Age of Shadows, a local Korean production which will represent the country at the Academy Awards. And that, taking advantage of the 3-day national holiday, tied to the Mid-Autumn Festival has reached a gross of $45 million. Korea was a lucky country also for Ben Hur, which got a much needed boost with a $7 million opening.

See the latest worldwide box office numbers: worldwide_weekend_estimates_09182016.pdf

It was another good week for Finding Dory. The little blue fish keeps swimming and on week 13th opened in Italy with close to $6 million. It is now at $970 million and with Germany still to open is close to the $1 billion mark.

There were a few new offerings at the specialty box office. Ron Howard’s The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years debuted to $615,632. Meanwhile Mr. Church, Eddie Murphy’s return to the big screen after a 4-year hiatus, made $407,151 from 354 theatres.

Next week we’ll follow our current chart toppers and take a look at the releases of Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven, Warner Animation’s Storks, and The Dressmaker, starring Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth.