Will Smith had a better opening with "I, Robot" at $52M despite not the greatest reviews and topped his previous "Independence Day" record. Final figures late Monday or early Tuesday.
"F9/11" is at $86M and has excelled over the IMAX "Everest" as the biggest box office of any documentary in history.
Lightwizard , please update the thread subject. This is a sensation...
Thok wrote:Lightwizard , please update the thread subject. This is a sensation...
Sorry, don't know how I missed this one -- I recently dropped by cable connection and RoadRunner for VOOM satellite which does not have the internet connection. I just signed up for Earthlink Cable and in the meantime, I've updated the box office from yesterday. Actually, I get the updates from Variety and have to update my E mail -- usually their final doesn't come until late Monday, early Tuesday. Thanks for the reminder.
"The Bourne Supremacy" kicks ass at the boxoffice amid great reviews that, like "Spider-Man," makes it yet another sequel that is better than the original (the original being a remake of the TV mini-series). It does help that there was a sequel novel written by argueably the best of the spy thriller novelist Robert Ludlum.
The bad news for Holly Berry is "Catwoman" opening to a paltry box office and bad reviews. Michel Phieffer one-upped her as catwoman in the third "Batman" outing I think. Don't think I will be racing to the cineplex for this one.
"I, Robot" despite only a superficial resemblance to the spirit of the Asimov short stories is still close to $100M so Will should be quite happy. Real fans of sci-fi won't be.
I thought the movie was pretty good, but not the best that Matt Damon has been in. I enjoyed the first movie better than the sequel just because i thought that the plot had more to it in the first one. You know everyone talks about Moore's movies making so much for a documentary. But he stretches the truth so much im not sure it is considered a documentary instead maybe Historical Fiction based on actual events. And yes i have seen it.
Specifically where does he stretch the truth. All I've heard on the other wide is the truth stretched to match their contention that Moore's movie is inaccurate. Nearly all the film is straight out of the mouths of the subjects. That isn't fiction. If you want to make it fiction in your mind do the research without resorting to quoting the various amateur blogs and forums with facts that don't check out themselves. They do not have the resources for fact checking. Moore had more than six fact checkers on his team and checing each other's results. You go ahead a believe what you want to believe but belief is only what you want to be true not necessarily what is true. Trying to call it "historical fiction" leads me to believe you have not seen the movie.
LW, I agree. I saw the movie and while its facts are presented in the most effective way, politically speaking, I saw nothing that is untrue. That explains the absence of debate on his facts from the Republicans. They know his facts are correct, so they have resorted to attacking his character and his motivation. Predictable.
He's doing a bang-up job on his website under War Room to refutiate the naysayers. What they do is exactly what the asscuse Moore of doing but without any talent whatsoever to put their position across. It's just vitriolic ranting. There's good propaganda and bad propaganda and Moore's viewpoint is, of course, one-side -- he is the first to admit it. Depends on what one wants to believe and what one doesn't want to believe. Denial and rationalization work well for the ignorant. Almost all of them come across as the child left behind.
What's Moore's Website link?
Thanks, Wiz. Never would have guessed it.
Aw, shucks, one never knows if that domain had been taken by Michael Moore plumbing!
(Although I think Moore has certainly showed us that Bush and the conservatives have some seriously backed up pipes. Their crap has backed up in the toilet).
It did do big box office (I'm getting the Variety finals this morning). The second weekend, of course, is the telling weekend showing that a film has held up to the hype and word-of-mouth brings in more ticket sales.
Amidst many favorable reviews, Tom Cruise's new vehicle "Collateral" makes it to the top but the significant figure is "The Village" which dropped off 67% and should again make Disney nervous. Four flops in a row? Eisner has to be nervous also.
From Variety:
TOP STORY
Auds say aye 'Robot'
Smith starrer rules 2nd week in o'seas B.O.
By Ben Fritz
Will Smith and the robots continued to rule foreign markets this past weekend as "I, Robot" came in nearly $20 million ahead of its closest competitor.
Continuing hot weather kept attendance down in Europe and no major new pictures made a wide splash abroad, leaving "I, Robot" in first place for the second week in a row, while "Spider-Man 2" was a distant second and "King Arthur" placed third.
Fox's sci-fi actioner took $31.3 million for the weekend on over 6,000 screens in 29 territories, pushing overseas gross to $71.2 million. Pic had a number of big bows, including $8.7 million on 447 screens for the top spot in the U.K.; $5.3 million on 910 screens in Germany for first place; and $2.4 million on 299 screens for first place in Russia (third-highest Fox opening ever there). Pic also had several No. 1 second week holdovers, including $2.6 million in France and $1 million in Spain. It took $1.2 million in South Korea for second place.
Despite playing for several weeks in most territories, "Spider-Man 2" placed second, thanks in large part to a record-setting first place bow in China. Pic's $2.9 million is the most any MPA pic has made there. It also marks the 67th out of 67 foreign markets in which the Sony film has debuted at No. 1.
Overall, Spidey 2 netted $12.2 million for the weekend on 6,430 screens in 66 markets, bringing foreign gross to $329.1 million.
"King Arthur" tabled $10.2 million on 2,796 screens in 21 territories for third place. Pic drew $3.3 million in its French bow on 606 screens for first place and $1.4 million on 351 screens in its Mexican debut, placing No. 2. In holdovers, pic declined a notable 60% in its native U.K. to $1.4 million and a smaller 45% to $1.1 million in its third week in Japan. Foreign gross is now $51.3 million.
BVI had a small-scale success with overseas preem of "The Village" in Singapore. Pic opened higher in the territory than any other M. Night Shyamalan film, drawing $500,000 on 33 screens.
"Shrek 2" continued to play well into its release, taking $7 million over the weekend in 22 territories, lifting gross to $355 million.
Other big player this weekend was "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," which took in $5.5 million on 3,453 screens in 52 territories. Pic bowed at first in Finland with $953,000 on 70 screens, making it the second biggest WB opening in the territory behind the last "Harry Potter" pic. International gross is now $491 million.
In Mexico, Televisa Cine's satire "A Day Without a Mexican" garnered first place with $1.6 million on 330 screens -- the second highest weekend opening ever for a native pic.
"13 Going on 30" had a healthy bow in the U.K., taking $2.2 million on 378 screens for second place, but only managed sixth place in France, where it made $1.1 million with 232 prints.
"Catwoman" made few paw prints, taking just $2.3 million from 728 screens in nine territories. Pic had a strong bow in Spain, though, clawing for second place with $1.3 million.
Two new pics had healthy bows Down Under, where "Man on Fire" made $1.3 million on 263 screens and "White Chicks" took $995,000 on 167 screens.
Germans' dislike for President Bush continued to benefit Michael Moore, as "Fahrenheit 9/11" fell just 25% to $738,000 for third place. Teutonic "Star Trek" spoof "(T)Raumschiff Surprise" maintained first place with $5.2 million, down 42%.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE
Aug. 13 - Aug. 15, 2004
Title Engagements Estimated Weekend Box Office
1. Alien vs. Predator (FOX) 3,395 $38.3
2. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (BV) 3,472 $23.0
3. Collateral (DREAMWORK) 3,205 $16.0
4. Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light (WB) 2,411 $9.4
5. The Bourne Supremacy (UNIV) 2,976 $8.3
6. The Village (BV) 3,142 $7.0
7. The Manchurian Candidate (PAR) 2,612 $6.0
8. Little Black Book (SONY) 2,445 $3.7
9. I, Robot (FOX) 2,178 $3.6
10. Spider-Man 2 (SONY) 1,907 $3.4
From Variety:
TOP STORY
Frosh freshen B.O.
'Bourne,' 'Alien' give boost to o'seas gross
By Don Groves
Robots, medieval knights and mysterious creatures stalked foreign screens over the weekend in a generally buoyant frame that was further spiced by the preems of "The Bourne Supremacy" and "Alien vs. Predator."
There was no shortage of frosh product, as "Catwoman" showed strong claws in Mexico and Brazil (but was less feisty in the U.K.), "Hellboy" was the victor in France and "Collateral" continued its tour of Southeast Asia.
The weekend's top grosser, "I, Robot," downloaded $18.8 million from more than 5,300 screens in 34 markets, propelling its gross to $107.7 million. Generally holding well, and with Japan, Italy and sundry smaller territories ahead, sci-fier has a shot at reaching $200 million. In its soph sessions, Will Smith starrer snared $4.5 million in the U.K (down 39%), amassing $19.9 million to date; and $3.9 million in Germany (easing by just 18%), spurring the total to $11.5 million.
"Bourne Supremacy" ruled Blighty with the benefit of sneaks, drumming up $5 million on 418.
'King' of Spain
"King Arthur" reigned in Spain (commanding $2.6 million on 403), Russia ($1.8 million on 290), Switzer-land ($514,000 on 70), Portugal ($350,000 on 55) and Argentina ($326,000 on 69, in local currency a record for producer Jerry Bruckheimer).
All told, the Clive Owen/Keira Knightley starrer fetched $12.2 million in 30 markets and its gross climbed to $70.9 million, likely heading for $100 million.
"The Village" opened at No. 1 in Poland, scaring up $495,000 on 81 (a career best for helmer M. Night Shyamalan); Taiwan, taking $244,000 in three days on 19; the Philippines; Malaysia; and Indonesia.
"Alien vs. Predator" swallowed $1 million on 260 in Thailand, repping Fox's fifth highest opener locally.
"Catwoman" captured a top-ranked $1 million on 463 in Mexico, $441,000 on 210 in Brazil, $235,000 in Singapore and $215,000 in South Africa. Halle Berry starrer checked into the U.K. as a distant No. 5 with $1 million on 381.
"Collateral" triumphed in Singapore, aided by previews, minting $294,000 on 26. It has trapped $903,000 in Taiwan, $561,000 in Hong Kong and $360,000 in the Philippines in its second weekend.
Webslinger on target
"Spider-Man 2" spun $9.2 million in 64 markets, elevating its gross to $348.7 million, heading for north of $400 million, with Italy and Poland ahead. The Japanese B.O. was boosted by the Obon vacation, resulting in a 31% spike for the webslinger as it caught $2.5 million in its sixth sojourn, driving the local total to $48.9 million.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" levitated to $505.4 million, helped by its eighth stanza in Japan, where it was the market leader with $3.7 million, lifting the Japanese haul to a stellar $104.1 million.
"Hellboy" raised hell in France, collecting $2 million on 497, ahead of "Garfield: The Movie," which milked a ho-hum $1.7 million on 504. Fox's kidpic has mustered a swell $35.5 million in 28 markets, and looks capable of winding up with $75 million-$80 million.
"Man on Fire" garnered a lukewarm $588,000 on 270 in Mexico, seemingly suffering from local sensitivity to the kidnapping of children. But the Denzel Washington starrer retained the ascendancy in its second lap in Oz (abating by 38%), where it's taken a nifty $2.5 million so far.
