Time swiftly moved into mid-July. "High School Musical" had reached a total box office of over 201 million US dollars in North America, surpassing the 1978 "Footloose"'s 188 million US dollars. Although "Footloose" had a slight edge when accounting for inflation, both sparked an equally fervent campus musical craze.
With the box office settled at 201 million, every craze must come to an end. The number of theaters still showing "High School Musical" dwindled to just over 300, nearing its complete withdrawal. The teen comedy "American Pie" took the baton for campus films, becoming the box office champion for the week of July 9th to July 15th on its opening week.
However, the frenzy spread elsewhere as "High School Musical" began screenings in Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and other places in early July. This sunny, youthful musical movie lived up to expectations and immediately sparked a new wave of viewership worldwide.
