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鈥淒eadpool鈥� is just now arriving in US theaters, but the superhero has already made a very good showing elsewhere in the world.

The comic-book movie opened on Feb. 9 in some parts of the world prior to its Feb. 12 American opening. And 鈥淒eadpool鈥� set some records, with the film having the best British opening for a movie released by Twentieth Century Fox that is rated 15, which is similar to the US R rating. 鈥淒eadpool鈥� achieved this by opening with more than $3 million on Feb. 10.聽

It also had the best debut for a movie rated R in the Philippines, taking in $357,000, and the best opening for a movie rated M18 in Singapore (also similar to an R rating) as well as the best superhero film debut in Belgium, where it grossed $270,000.

鈥淒eadpool鈥� is the story of Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), also known as Deadpool, an unstable, fourth-wall-breaking antihero.聽

The R rating for 鈥淒eadpool鈥� sets itself apart from other superhero movies, most of which are usually rated PG-13.聽

The international numbers for "Deadpool鈥� so far are wowing industry watchers. How big a part does foreign box office play in today鈥檚 Hollywood thinking?聽

wrote in 2013, 鈥淚t's become increasingly common for Hollywood's would-be blockbusters to open all over the globe before they finally make it to our own shores.鈥� Why? 鈥淢ore than anything else, the shift reflects how the international market, once just gravy for Hollywood, has eclipsed the domestic market as the main source of revenue for mainstream theatrical releases,鈥� staff wrote.

Foreign box office is now a major part of a movie鈥檚 revenue.

There are certain genres that traditionally perform well outside American borders. 鈥淟arge blockbusters (particularly action and sci-fi) play well overseas and have a built in fan-base that is rabidly enthusiastic for this type of entertainment,鈥� .

Superhero movies like "Deadpool" often perform well worldwide, with "The Avengers," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," and "Iron Man 3" all making the list of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time internationally.

Besides the appeal of the superheroes themselves, another factor helps these movies find a global audience, wrote Brent Lang of TheWrap. "The special-effects driven and animated films that movie studios are so busy exporting have the advantage of being heavy on spectacle and light on dialogue, allowing them to overcome culture barriers to be enjoyed by a wide and remote audience," Lang wrote.

Movie results can be different in other countries, however. 鈥淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens,鈥� which is now the highest-grossing movie of all time in the US without adjusting for inflation, has not set the same record in the world. 2009鈥檚 鈥淎vatar鈥� remains the highest-grossing film of all time internationally.

鈥溾�橲tar Wars鈥� is a distinctly American franchise,鈥� wrote. 鈥�... The nostalgia and firmly entrenched cultural associations regarding the 38-year-old cinematic folktale gives聽鈥楾he Force Awakens鈥櫬爉uch of its emotional pull and would-be importance.鈥�