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10 articles from 2001

18 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Opening the weekend before Lord of the Rings and The Majestic are expected to bag the U.S. box office, Paramount's Tom Cruise/Penélope Cruz starrer Vanilla Sky easily outdistanced its rivals as it earned $25 million, according to final studio figures released Monday. The film's success turned the tide against last week's top earner, Warner Bros.' Ocean's Eleven, which earned $22.1 million -- 42 percent less than what it took in a week earlier. Sony's Not Another Teen Movie opened in third place with $12.6 million, while Warner's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone dipped to fourth place with $9.9 million. The top twelve films grossed $87.9 million -- off 11 percent from a year earlier, according to box-office trackers Exhibitor Relations. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Vanilla Sky, Paramount, $25,015,518, 1Wks. (New); 2. Ocean's Eleven, Warner Bros., $22,076,664, 2 Wks. ($72,306,190); 3. Not Another Teen Movie, Sony, $12,615,116, (New); 4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Bros., $9,919,596, 5 Wks. ($25,3269,579); 5. Behind Enemy Lines, 20th Century Fox, $5,414,981, 3 Wks. ($38,813,329); 6. Monsters, Inc. Disney, $4,980,223, 7 Wks. ($218,815,112); 7. Spy Game, Universal, $2,465,455, 4 Wks. ($57,825,105); 8. Black Knight, 20th Century Fox, $2,035,439, 4 Wks. ($29,747,173); 9. Shallow Hal, 20th Century Fox, $1,492,695, 6 Wks. ($66,967,310); 10. Amelie, Miramax, $773,164, 7 Wks. ($12,513,841).

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17 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

For the eighth consecutive time, a film starring Tom Cruise has opened in first place at the box office. Vanilla Sky, which was savaged by many critics on Friday -- several of whom predicted that audiences would shun it -- took in an estimated $25 million in ticket sales, flushing Ocean's Eleven, which took in $23.1 million, out of the top position. "Tom Cruise is a terrific insurance policy," Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian told Bloomberg News. (Dergarabedian also noted that, with an estimated total take of $89.2 million for the weekend, the industry has surpassed last year's record of $7.7 billion with two weeks yet to go -- and with an enormous box office for Lord of the Rings expected for next weekend.) Sony's Not Another Teen Movie, which received mostly abysmal reviews, opened with $13.1 million, an impressive figure given the fact that it only cost about $15 million to make. In its fifth week, the magic seemed to have disappeared from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as it dipped to $9.9 million, winding up in fourth place. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Vanilla Sky, $25 million; 2. Ocean's Eleven, $23.1 million; 3. Not Another Teen Movie, $13.1 million; 4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, $9.9 million; 5. Behind Enemy Lines, $5.5 million; 6. Monsters, Inc., $5 million; 7. Spy Game, $2.4 million; 8. Black Knight, $2 million; 9. Shallow Hal, $1.4 million; 10. Amelie, $750,000.

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11 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Although its final gross of $38.1 million fell $1.2 million below Sunday's estimates, Warner Bros.' Ocean's Eleven comfortably set a box-office record as the biggest December opening in history over the weekend. Another Warner's movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, slipped to second place with $14.7 million. Overall, the box office was up 1.4 percent, as the top 12 films earned $82.2 million. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Ocean's Eleven, Warner Bros., $38,107,822, (New); 2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Bros., $14,737,696, 4 Wks. ($239,659,542); 3. Behind Enemy Lines, 20th Century Fox, $8,042,009, 2 Wks. ($31,180,676); 4. Monsters, Inc. Disney, $6,597,454, 6 Wks. ($212,391,025); 5. Spy Game, Universal, $4,473,550, 3 Wks. ($53,946,190); 6. Black Knight, 20th Century Fox, $3,155,226, 3 Wks. ($27,060,883); 7. Shallow Hal, 20th Century Fox, $2,577,048, 5 Wks. ($64,784,820); 8. Out Cold, Disney, $1,396,830, 3 Wks. ($12,242,292); 9. Amelie, Miramax, $1,005,599, 6 Wks. ($11,303,432); 10. Domestic Disturbance, Paramount, $922,279, 6 Wks. ($43722973).

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10 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Ocean's Eleven swept Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone out of first place at the box office over the weekend as it earned an estimated $39.3 million -- a December opening-day record. Potter, which many had expected would challenge Titanic to become the top-grossing film of all time, descended from the top of the heap in only its third week, earning just $14.8 million. Nevertheless, the success of Ocean's represents a kind of one-two punch for Warner Bros., which produced both films. It also has Lord of the Rings on deck for a Dec. 19 debut -- a film that could outperform each of the other two. Overall, the top 12 films grossed about $83.8 million versus $81.1 million for the same weekend a year ago.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Ocean's Eleven, $39.3 million; 2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, $14.8 million; 3. Behind Enemy Lines, $8.1 million; 4. Monsters, Inc., $6.7 million; 5. Spy Game, $4.6 million; 6. Black Knight, $3.3 million; 7. Shallow Hal, $2.3 million; 8. Out Cold, $1.4 million; 9. Amelie, $1.1 million; 10. Domestic Disturbance, $950,000.

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4 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Appearing to wipe out any possibility that it would create the kind of repeat business that made Titanic the biggest box-office hit ever, ticket sales for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone fell 59 percent over the weekend, coming in at $23.6 million, according to final figures released by Exhibitor Relations Monday. [By contrast, last year's holiday hit, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, took in $27.1 million in its third week, even though it earned far less than Potter during its first two weeks.] Warner's distribution chief Dan Fellman told reporters that he expected business to pick up as Christmas approaches because of a dearth of family movies scheduled for the holiday season. (He may have reckoned without taking into account the possibility of a massive box-office onslaught from New Line's Lord of the Rings, which opens in two weeks.) Total ticket sales for the weekend were about flat with last year. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Bros., $23,642,327, 3 Wks. ($219,670,289); 2. Behind Enemy Lines, 20th Century Fox, $18,736,133, (New); 3. Spy Game, Universal, $11,013,350, 2 Wks. ($46,692,115); 4. Monsters, Inc. Disney, $9,105,664, 5 Wks. ($204,025,728); 5. Black Knight, 20th Century Fox, $5,522,248, 2 Wks. ($22,783,562); 6. Shallow Hal, 20th Century Fox, $4,525,000, 4 Wks. ($61,101,477); 7. Out Cold, Disney, $2,718,839, 2 Wks. ($10,288,443); 8. Domestic Disturbance, Paramount, $1,912,678, 5 Wks. ($42,381,154); 9. Amelie, Miramax, $1,358,649, 5 Wks. ($9,754,200); 10. Heist, Warner Bros., $1,182,497, 4 Wks. ($22,005,215).

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3 December 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Box office receipts for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone fell from the stratosphere in the movie's third weekend, totaling just $24.1 million, 58 percent less than what it took in a week ago, according to studio estimates. Nevertheless, it remained in first place, well ahead of Behind Enemy Lines, which took in $19.2 million, despite some analysts' predictions that it could dislodge Harry. The weekend receipts brought Harry's total sales to $220.1 million after 17 days. Another film crossing the $200-million mark was Pixar/Disney's Monsters, Inc., which earned $9.4 million (a 61-percent drop from last week), to bring its total to $204.3 million. It reached the $200-million mark on Saturday, 30 days after it was released, thereby beating Disney's The Lion King as the fastest animated film to hit that milestone (33 days). If weekend estimates hold, total ticket sales for the month will have set a record of $799.7 million, up 8 percent from the previous record of $737.2 million, set during November of last year. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, $24.1 million; 2. Behind Enemy Lines, $19.2 million; 3. Spy Game, $11.2 million; 4. Monsters, Inc., $9.4 million; 5. Black Knight, $5.7 million; 6. Shallow Hal, $4.7 million; 7. Out Cold, $2.9 million; 8. Domestic Disturbance, $1.9 million.9. Amelie, $1.4 million; 10. Heist, $1.2 million.

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27 November 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

The possibility that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone might tie Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace as the only other film to earn $200 million in 10 days evaporated Monday as final weekend results indicated that Warner Bros.' estimates were off by more than $1 million. According to Exhibitor Relations, the film actually took in $57.5 million for the weekend, bringing its total to $187 million. Pixar/Disney's Monsters, Inc. was in second place with $24.1 million, bringing its total to $192.2 million after four weeks. In third place was Tony Scott's Spy Game, starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, which debuted with $21.7 million. With some multiplexes setting aside as many as half their screens for Harry Potter, many films were bounced out of theaters entirely or relegated to small rooms. The result was that overall ticket sales for the top 12 films dropped 15 percent over the weekend to $142.2 million compared to the same weekend a year ago. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Bros. $57,487,755, 2 Wks. ($186,978,513); 2. Monsters, Inc. Disney, $24,055,001, 4 Wks. ($192,229,825); 3. Spy Game, Universal, $21,689,125, 1 Wk. ($30,566,960); 4. Black Knight, 20th Century Fox, $11,102,948, 1 Wk. ($15,409,892); 5. Shallow Hal, 20th Century Fox, $8,516,424, 3 Wks. ($54,998,829); 6. Out Cold, Disney, $4,531,665, 1 Wk. ($6,700,687); 7. Domestic Disturbance, Paramount, $4,008,337, 4 Wks. ($39,801,239); 8. Heist, Warner Bros. $3,113,033, 3 Wks. ($20,025,070); 9. Life as a House, New Line, $2,121,159, 5 Wks. ($12,220,980); 10. The One, Sony, $2,075,363, 4 Wks. ($41,880,185).

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26 November 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Pixar/Disney's Monsters, Inc. also had the $200-million mark in its scopes as it took in an estimated $33.1 million over the five-day holiday and $24.5 million over the three-day weekend, bringing its total to $192.8 million. Newcomer Spy Game from Universal was the only debuting film to perform up to expectations, taking in $30.5 million for the five days and $21.6 million for the weekend. But the Martin Lawrence comedy, Black Knight, disappointed with $16.1/$11.7 million, nearly all of it earned in black communities. ("It just hit its intended audience and there was no crossover," entertainment analyst Art Rockwell told Bloomberg News.) And Disney's comedy Out Cold lived up to its name with a woeful take of just $6.9/$4.7 million. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, $58.6 million; 2. Monsters, Inc.., $24.5 million; 3. Spy Game, $21.6 million; 4. Black Knight, $11.7 million; 5. Shallow Hal, $9 million; 6. Out Cold, $4.7 million; 7. Domestic Disturbance, $4.2 million; 8. Heist, $3.3 million; 9. The One, $2.2 million; 10. Life as a House, $2.1 million.

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22 November 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is expected to increase its total gross to more than $200 million as many families foresake the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner and head for the multiplexes instead, analysts forecast Wednesday. Three new releases are expected to give Potter little competition: Universal's Spy Game, 20th Century Fox's Black Knight and Disney's Out Cold. Each is targeting a demo different from Potter's, but each is hindered by the fact that exhibitors have devoted so many screens to Potter that the new films will be lucky to find space in the small viewing rooms usually set aside for films that are nearing the end of their runs -- something that bodes particularly ill for those films that are nearing the end of their runs.

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21 November 2001 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Martin Lawrence continues to attract extreme reactions from critics with his Black Knight.Clearly, his detractors sat through the film stone-faced. Liam Lacey in the Toronto Globe and Mail figures that "the writers must have handed in a rough draft of the script, with lots of blank places between the dialogue where they wrote "Insert really funny bit here." And then they went for a long lunch." Chris Vognar in the Dallas Morning News calls the movie, "a high concept knocked down to its lowest possible intelligence level." And Jonathan Foreman in the New York Post calls it a "cheesy, cheap-looking update of A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court. Calling Lawrence "the Stepin Fetchit of our age," Foreman writes that his character is "a shiftless, mugging, leering, inarticulate L.A. black man who rolls his eyes and ambles around like one of the chimps in Planet of the Apes." Had the film been co-produced by the Ku Klux Klan, Foreman comments, "it could hardly be more repellently stereotypical." On the other hand, Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post calls the film "slight but highly enjoyable." And you have to wonder if Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times even saw the same movie as some of his more censorious colleagues. Black Knight, he writes, "is a rip-roaring time-travel comedy tailored beautifully to Martin Lawrence's protean talent. It has more hilarious throwaway lines than most comedies offer up as their best jokes, and it is consistently inspired, energetic and, most important, light on its feet."

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10 articles from 2001