It’s hard to believe, but Star Trek has always had trouble at the box office overseas — and according to The New York Times, it’s causing a lot of hand-wringing at Paramount over the upcoming Star Trek: Into Darkness. International sales account for 80 percent of a modern movie’s revenue, so overseas success is vital for the film, but Trek films have a remarkably dismal track record outside the US. Even the most recent J.J. Abrams reboot only brought in $139 million outside of domestic theaters. To fight the trend, the studio is trying out a staggered release schedule that stages seven different red carpets in various countries, and hoping the more Earth-focused plot will play better with international audiences. Will it work? Only the box-office numbers will tell for sure.
Is Star Trek an American taste?
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