‘Bridesmaids,’ ‘Bad Teacher’ have foreign appeal

Bad girls are having a good time at the box office this summer, and not just in this country.

“Bridesmaids” and “Bad Teacher,” two R-rated comedies featuring bawdy female characters that have become sleeper hits domestically, are also attracting impressive numbers of overseas moviegoers, even though American jokes typically don’t translate well abroad.

Starring Kristen Wiig as a woman trying to help her friend prepare for her wedding, “Bridesmaids” collected an additional $3.8 million this weekend in 40 foreign countries, bringing its total at the international box office to $104.8 million, according to an estimate by distributor Universal Pictures. The movie has performed best in Britain, raking in $36.5 million there. The picture has yet to open in 14 foreign territories. It is set to debut in South Korea next weekend.

“Bridesmaids” opened in May in the U.S. and Canada, where it has since collected $167.7 million.

“Bad Teacher,” meanwhile, has grossed $98.1 million domestically since its launch in June and is doing equally well abroad, bringing in $98.8 million.

The film, in which Cameron Diaz plays a foul-mouthed teacher, is playing in 37 countries. It opened this weekend in Brazil, where it took in $1.2 million. It will soon open in 24 additional foreign markets, including Italy and Korea.