The Return of the King continues to cash in at the overseas boxoffice, marked this past weekend by a gargantuan welcome by Japan -- $14.7 million (with previews) from 729 screens. The opening in Japan, a last stop (with the exception of China on March 15) of the final offering of the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy, pushed the Peter Jackson-directed multi-prize winner to the weekend forefront with a $21.5 million take from about 4,128 screens in 60 markets, lifting the offshore cume to an eye-catching $618.4 million. Tom Cruise starrer "The Last Samurai," a potent force since the beginning of the year, took in another $12.8 million from about 4,715 screens in 55 territories to lift its international cume to $295.3 million.

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