Disney takes in $1 billion overseas

Disney, which has endured an off year domestically, boasted Tuesday that the company’s international unit has passed $1 billion in foreign theatrical revenue for the 10th consecutive year and at the earliest point in the calendar year yet.

Buena Vista International attributed the tally to “Brother Bear,” “King Arthur” and “Haunted Mansion,” all of which surpassed their domestic totals, and to some holdover business from the 2003 release “Finding Nemo.”

Disney’s unit is the second studio to reach $1 billion this year, after Warner Bros.’ international unit crossed that benchmark in June. Warner Bros. International is at $1.7 billion, fueled largely by “Troy,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” and “The Last Samurai.”

Underscoring the increasing significance of the international market: On the domestic front no studio has yet reached $1 billion this year -- the first time since 2001 that the industry has finished the summer with no studio reaching that point, according to box office tracking firm Nielsen EDI.

Overall this year, domestic box office is just under $6.4 billion through Sunday, slightly ahead of the comparable point last year, EDI said.