UPDATE: Sunday, April 29th: “Battleship” is now up to $170 Mil worldwide without US release until May 18th.

“Battleship,” Universal Pictures’ big summer entertainment, cost over $200 million to make. You know it’s cheesy and not very good, so why subject the studio to American reviews? Very wisely, Universal has been opening “Battleship” around the world in advance of its May 18th U.S. landing. And the result: already $129 million in the bank. And more to come. These numbers are from Boxofficemojo.com. And they tell you why Ron Meyer is so good at his job running the studio. The movie has terrible reviews–it’s scored a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. One British reviewer simply called it “trash.” Universal calls it “money” and there will enough of it by May 18th to avoid a “John Carter” disaster. This is the new trend. If your movie is bad, play for it people who just need to see explosions and special effects. The movie stars non-actor Rihanna, and “John Carter” hero Taylor Kitsch.

FOREIGN TOTAL     –     4/11/12     $55,200,000     42.6%     $129,600,000     4/22/12
Australia     UPI     4/12/12     $4,089,849     52.1%     $7,849,903     4/22/12
Austria     UPI     4/13/12     $428,537     46.4%     $924,207     4/22/12
Belgium     UPI     4/11/12     $692,211     65.9%     $1,050,240     4/22/12
Bulgaria     UIP     4/20/12     $40,884     53.6%     $76,338     4/22/12
Croatia     UIP     4/19/12     $60,472     100%     $60,472     4/22/12
Czech Republic     Bontonfilm     4/19/12     $134,065     100%     $134,065     4/22/12
Denmark     UIP     4/12/12     $288,927     57.4%     $503,066     4/22/12
Egypt     UIP     4/18/12     $46,333     100%     $46,333     4/22/12
Finland     Finnkino     4/13/12     $100,568     53.6%     $187,506     4/22/12
France     UPI     4/11/12     $3,983,395     57.2%     $6,961,696     4/22/12
Germany     UPI     4/12/12     $4,270,011     57%     $7,490,464     4/22/12
Greece     UIP     4/19/12     $304,122     100%     $304,122     4/22/12
Hong Kong     EDKO     4/11/12     $1,207,716     57%     $2,117,191     4/22/12
Iceland     UIP     4/13/12     $34,432     54.6%     $63,085     4/22/12
Indonesia     –     4/13/12     $1,084,962     80.6%     $1,346,916     4/15/12
Italy     UPI     4/12/12     $2,796,494     100%     $2,796,509     4/15/12
Japan     Toho-Towa     4/13/12     $3,559,492     38.5%     $9,252,509     4/22/12
Lebanon     UIP     4/19/12     $55,282     100%     $55,282     4/22/12
Malaysia     UIP     4/12/12     $2,398,969     45.9%     $5,223,471     4/22/12
Netherlands     UPI     4/19/12     $609,153     83.7%     $728,026     4/22/12
New Zealand     UIP     4/12/12     $466,854     46.6%     $1,002,089     4/22/12
Norway     UIP     4/11/12     $385,749     43.5%     $887,497     4/22/12
Philippines     UIP     4/12/12     $1,084,761     48%     $2,258,410     4/22/12
Poland     UIP     4/20/12     $304,781     100%     $304,781     4/22/12
Portugal     Lusomundo     4/19/12     $218,402     100%     $218,402     4/22/12
Serbia & Montenegro     UIP     4/19/12     $10,387     71.6%     $14,515     4/22/12
Singapore     UIP     4/12/12     $1,573,454     51.8%     $3,037,128     4/22/12
Slovakia     Tatrafilm     4/19/12     $40,192     100%     $40,192     4/22/12
Slovenia     UIP     4/19/12     $29,521     76%     $38,844     4/22/12
South Korea     UIP     4/11/12     $4,487,425     35%     $12,828,757     4/22/12
Spain     UIP     4/13/12     $2,811,693     66.9%     $4,203,819     4/22/12
Sweden     UIP     4/11/12     $527,884     46.1%     $1,145,728     4/22/12
Thailand     UIP     4/11/12     $1,643,246     43.6%     $3,772,121     4/22/12
United Arab Emirates     UIP     4/19/12     $929,818     100%     $929,818     4/22/12