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Despite hot weather and the World Cup, Teuton auds flock to home-grown fare German films have continued to perform strongly at the box office this year despite record high temperatures over the summer, usually a death knell for local cinemas, and not to mention World Cup soccer, which kept many potential moviegoers at home or in sports bars across the country. The top German performers in the first half of the year included adaptations of beloved children's books, such as Dennis Gansel's "Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver," which pulled in more than €11.8 million ($13.5 million) via Warner Bros., and Studiocanal's "The Little Witch," from director Michael Schaerer, which garnered more than $11.2 million. Constantin's "This Crazy Heart," one of last year's biggest hits, continued its box office success into 2018, piling up nearly $19.5 million thanks in large part to lead actor Elyas M'Barek, the star of the hugely successful movie franchise "Fack ju Göhte," and a touching story about an irresponsible wealthy young man who befriends a boy with a heart problem.