Paramount international box office passes $1 billion

Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:30pm BST

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Paramount Pictures International, which releases movies outside North America, said on Monday it has topped the $1 billion mark at overseas box offices behind hit films including "Iron Man" and the latest "Indiana Jones" saga.

Paramount, which is owned by media giant Viacom Inc (VIAb.N), said it surpassed $1 billion on Saturday, six weeks faster than in 2007 when the company ended the year with a total $1.6 billion at international box offices.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," the latest installment of adventure archaeology from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, grossed more than $350 million internationally in just two weeks, the company said.

Likewise, "Iron Man" has taken in $210 million in markets served by Paramount Pictures International, and animated "Kung Fu Panda" has been another recent success for the division.

(Editing by Mark Porter and Bob Tourtellotte)

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