A summer of blockbuster films starts early today when Sony Pictures Entertainment launches Spider-Man 3in Japan before it appears in the US and Europe.

This is the first time Sony has launched such a high-profile film outside the US and comes as the studio and its Hollywood rivals look to boost returns from international markets.

With US box-office takings relatively flat year-on-year, overseas markets such as Japan have become more important. "Japan is a very big market for the right property," said Michael Lynton, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Sony has revamped its international marketing and distribution network and hopes to build on the success of last year's The Da Vinci Codeand Casino Royale, which earned more in international markets than in the US.

"We have noticed a real change [outside the US]," said Mr Lynton. "It used to be that movies would earn the same amount [from international markets] as they did in the US. But the international release of The Da Vinci Codeand Casino Royaleoutperformed the US by more than two to one."

Sony has high hopes for Spider-Man 3because the first two films in the franchise grossed more than $1.6 billion (€1.18 billion) worldwide, according to Media by Numbers, which tracks box-office performance.

Spider-Man 3is the first big summer film out of the blocks but other high-profile productions, such as Shrek the Third and the third Pirates of the Caribbean film will follow in May.

It is hoped the film will boost sales of Blu-ray discs, the next-generation DVD format backed by Sony. Early indications from the US are that the discs are outselling HD-DVDs by as much as two to one. In Europe, HD-DVD appears to retain the upper hand. - ( Financial Times service )