When we talk about Hollywood blockbusters, the assumption is often that their biggest fans reside in North America. After all, these films are conceived, produced, and marketed with U.S. audiences in mind. But in an increasingly globalized box office landscape, that’s not always the case. In fact, some of the most high-profile studio releases of the past two decades have found their largest and sometimes most loyal audiences abroad.
This list looks at movies that were significantly more famous internationally than domestically, either through box office numbers or enduring fan followings abroad. These films might have failed to capture the cultural moment in North America, but overseas, they were box office juggernauts or cultural phenomenons. From globe-trotting action epics to nearly wordless physical comedies, here are several Hollywood titles that connected more deeply with the world than with their home territory.
10
‘Bean’ (1997)
Directed by Mel Smith
Rowan Atkinson‘s Mr. Bean goes to Los Angeles in the feature film Bean. He’s sent by the British National Gallery as “Dr. Bean” to oversee the unveiling of a legendary American painting. Unaware of his true identity, the local gallery curator, David Langley (Peter MacNicol), is enthralled by his presence and volunteers to accompany him throughout his three-month stay in LA. As always, nothing goes right when Mr. Bean is around.
The British comedy series remains a staple for people all over the world, except for the United States. The film adapts the spirit of the beloved series but attempts to fit it into a more conventional narrative with higher stakes and sentimental beats. While Bean performed modestly in the U.S., its international success was staggering, making over $200 million overseas, including blockbuster numbers in Europe and Asia. The appeal of Mr. Bean lies in his near-universal accessibility as his comedy is almost entirely visual and nonverbal, transcending language and cultural differences with ease. While this film is an American co-production, the sequel, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, is entirely British and enjoyed similar runaway success.
Bean
- Release Date
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July 3, 1997
- Runtime
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89 Minutes
- Director
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Mel Smith
9
‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ (2016)
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Based on the iconic video game series, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter sees Alice (Milla Jovovich) return to Raccoon City for one last stand against the Umbrella Corporation. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, she races against time to release an airborne antivirus that could wipe out the undead. The film aims to tie up the series’ convoluted storylines with returning characters and callbacks to the previous films.
If you did not realize that Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Resident Evil movie series has six installments, you might not be alone. The franchise had long lost favor with U.S. critics and audiences ever since the third film. Nevertheless, the IP is still a household name in worldwide markets, including Japan, where it was released with its original game title, Biohazard. Compared to the $26 million domestic haul, the film earned more than ten times that abroad. The appeal of the film is easy; it’s a thrilling, mindless shoot-em-up action that doesn’t require deep context to follow. Since The Final Chapter, the franchise has had multiple iterations, including the animated films, a reboot and a live-action series on Netflix, proving that it is here to stay despite the domestic audience’s lack of interest.
8
‘The Expendables 3’ (2014)
Directed by Patrick Hughes
In The Expendables 3, Sylvester Stallone’s Barney Ross recruits a younger team to take down Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), a former co-founder of the Expendables who has gone rogue and turned into a dangerous arms dealer. Alongside returning action icons like Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the film expands its cast to include newcomers like Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, and Ronda Rousey.
By the time The Expendables 3 arrived in U.S. theaters, the novelty of watching ’80s and ’90s action stars reunited had worn thin, and the filmmakers and producers knew that. So, they opened up the rating to PG-13 to snare more audiences and make it more accessible worldwide. Internationally, The Expendables 3 thrived, earning nearly four times its U.S. gross. In markets like Russia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, stars like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Banderas still carry significant nostalgia-driven cachet. The film’s straightforward action and ensemble of globally recognized faces made it an easy sell for international audiences hungry for fast action thrills. The fourth film, however, was rejected by audiences from every region.
The Expendables 3
- Release Date
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August 15, 2014
- Runtime
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131 Minutes
- Director
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Patrick Hughes
7
‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ (2013)
Directed by Peter Jackson
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug follows Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he continues his journey with Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his company of dwarves toward the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their ancestral homeland, Erebor, from the dragon Smaug. From facing the Orcs to being imprisoned by the Woodland Elves, the company goes through all the trials to finally reach Lake-Town, the nearest settlement near the Mountain.
While the film did solid business at the domestic box office, its power is diminishing compared to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Domestic audiences, especially die-hard fans, are much more reluctant to see the children’s book expanded into three films. However, overseas audiences pulled through and contributed nearly 70% of its global box office. Thanks to the beloved previous trilogy, Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth saga had already developed a huge international following and The Hobbit films capitalized on that goodwill. The returning characters, such as Orlando Bloom‘s Legolas, are one of the highlights for general audiences.
6
‘2012’ (2009)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Disaster epic 2012 follows struggling writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) as he tries to save his family during a series of apocalyptic events predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar. As massive earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions ravage the Earth, governments secretly prepare colossal arks to preserve a small segment of humanity. With all his might, Curtis tries to get on board the ark with his family.
The Mayan calendar was a cultural discussion back in the late 2000s, and director Roland Emmerich was quick to capitalize on this idea. His massive disaster film was treated as popcorn entertainment domestically, while for international audiences, it became a must-see film of the year. Over 75% of its $769 million global box office came from overseas. The film itself is like a throwback to Emmerich’s large-scale disaster filmmaking that puts spectacle first. However, 2012‘s emotional journey through Cusack’s character made this film accessible for all audiences. Its action-paced, effects-heavy approach also made it easily digestible across language barriers.
5
‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ (2016)
Directed by David Yates
Set decades before the events of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them introduces magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who arrives in 1920s New York with a suitcase full of magical creatures. When several of his beasts escape and strange magical disturbances threaten to expose the wizarding world to Muggles, or No-Majs, as Americans call them, Newt is drawn into a much larger conflict involving dark magic and the rise of a dangerous wizard.
As an exercise to revive the lucrative Wizarding World franchise, the film was moderately successful domestically. It was already reaching quite far by adapting a book that was originally a Hogwarts textbook. That did not stop international audiences from returning to the fantastical world to the tune of over $580 million overseas. Much of that success can be attributed to the enduring global power of the Harry Potter brand, which has a deeply loyal fan base all over the world. With a likable lead in Redmayne and a fresh new exploration of its universe, the future looked bright for the new film series, as four more films were planned. Alas, the series stopped at film number three, abandoning the rest as the box office haul dwindled.
4
‘The Meg’ (2018)
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
The Meg follows deep-sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) as he’s called back into action to help a team of scientists trapped in a research submersible at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. In the process, they inadvertently awaken a prehistoric creature long thought extinct, a 75-foot-long apex predator shark called the Megalodon. As the Meg rises to the surface and begins terrorizing everything in its path, Jonas must lead the effort to stop the creature before it causes mass destruction.
Though The Meg performed solidly in the U.S., its greatest success came abroad, especially in China, where it was partially set and co-produced. The film’s straightforward plot, emphasis on visuals, and diverse casting, which includes Chinese star Li Bingbing, made it a perfect vehicle for international markets. It tapped into China’s growing appetite for Hollywood spectacles and gave Chinese viewers a rare blockbuster set in their backyard. For many viewers around the world, The Meg was comfort food, entertaining with just enough self-awareness to play as both thrilling and fun. The film spawned a sequel, The Meg 2: The Trench, that pairs Statham with Chinese superstar Wu Jing.
3
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011)
Directed by Rob Marshall
Image via Walt Disney Pictures
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sees Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) return for a new adventure searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth. Along the way, he crosses paths with Angelica (Penélope Cruz) and her father, the infamous pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who commands a ship of zombie sailors. Jack is reluctantly roped into their quest, which becomes a race against rival factions, including the Spanish Navy and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now a privateer working for the British crown.
Though it earned a respectable haul domestically, On Stranger Tides was an even greater phenomenon overseas, bringing in over $800 million internationally, more than three-quarters of its total box office. Much of its appeal abroad stemmed from the film’s brand, which successfully enthralled audiences with the previous trilogy. Depp’s quirky, globally recognized portrayal of Jack Sparrow remained a huge draw back then. The film’s contained story and the addition of the 3D gimmick also made it easier for audiences to spend their money on this adventure flick.
2
‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ (2014)
Directed by Michael Bay
Transformers: Age of Extinction kicks off a new chapter in the franchise, following self-proclaimed inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), who discovers the dormant Optimus Prime in a junkyard. As the Autobots are now hunted, Cade, his daughter and her boyfriend are swept into the conflict, being chased by a ruthless CIA unit and a Transformer bounty hunter named Lockdown. In the meantime, an ambitious businessman attempts to revive Megatron with his tech.
The Transformers films were always lambasted by critics for prioritizing Bayhem over a cohesive story. Globally, the franchise’s appeal remained rooted in its spectacular visual effects and explosive action, all of which transcended language barriers. But now the producers have found a cheat code: the Chinese market. The movie was partially shot in China, featured Chinese actors and product placements, and was strategically marketed to appeal to local audiences. The film became a colossal hit abroad, especially in the Middle Kingdom, where it earned over $300 million. The film’s success became a trendsetter for Hollywood productions to tweak their films in order to secure a larger market outside of America.
1
‘Fate of the Furious’ (2017)
Directed by F. Gary Gray
The eighth installment in the high-octane, physics-defying franchise, The Fate of the Furious shifts gears as Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) seemingly betrays his family to work for a cyberterrorist named Cipher (Charlize Theron). The family, with the help of Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham), must work together to bring Dom back into the fold and figure out Cipher’s grand plan.
The Fast & Furious series has steadily evolved into a global juggernaut, but Fate of the Furious solidified that transformation. The franchise’s appeal abroad lies in its international locations, diverse ensemble cast, and action setpieces that transcend language barriers. While American viewers grew tired of the series’ over-the-top stunts and increasingly implausible plots, audiences all over the world ate it up, pushing its earnings to over 1 billion dollars only from international markets. Its blend of high-octane stunts and exciting characters made it an audience favorite and a cultural discussion for audiences everywhere.