DreamWorks' SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON couldn't win the holiday box office race, but it came in a respectable fourth. Facing up to the challenge of STAR WARS: EPISODE II "ATTACK OF THE CLONES" second weekend and the tenacious hold of SPIDER-MAN, SPIRIT trotted into fourth place with $23M and generally good reviews, meaning this might be one traditionally-animated pony you can bet on for a solid summer box office.

After debuting on Thursday, May 16th with the highest weekday box office ever, STAR WARS: EPISODE TWO "ATTACK OF THE CLONES" has already grossed $110.1M, becoming the second fastest film, behind SPIDER-MAN, to cross the $100M mark.

The eagerly anticipated second act of George Lucas' space drama, STAR WARS: EPISODE II "ATTACK OF THE CLONES" has debuted with the highest weekday box office ever. Posting better opening day receipts than its predecessor EPISODE I, which debuted with $28.5M, EPISODE II opened in theaters at midnight on Thursday, May 16 and racked up a record-breaking $30.1M for the day. Although SPIDER-MAN still holds the one-day opening record with $39.3M, it opened on a Friday, which is considered a weekend day.

Composer James Venable will be going into the studio this month to score Cartoon Network's first feature THE POWERPUFF GIRLS MOVIE, which opens July 3, 2002. The film, directed by Craig McCracken, is based on the television series that chronicles the adventures of girl superheroes. The score incorporates both orchestral and electronic compositions. Venable is best known for scoring THE POWERPUFF GIRLS television series on the Cartoon Network, which also features a blend of traditional orchestral sound and non-orchestral techno.

Marvel's comic book superhero spun yet another record, along with massive box office receipts as SPIDER-MAN dominated the number one spot for the second weekend in a row. The film, with visual effects by Sony Imageworks, earned $72M in its second frame for a total gross of $223.6M, making it the fastest film ever to reach the $200M mark. SPIDER-MAN crossed $200M on Saturday May 11th, 9 days after it was released. This beats the previous record held by STAR WARS: EPISODE I which took 13 days to earn $200M.

SPIDER-MAN's record-breaking success means movie-goers can look forward to many more superhero flicks at the box office in the coming years, including another installment of the trials and tribulations of Peter Parker and his arachnid alter ego. Marvel Enterprises recently announced it received a seven-figure advance for the sequel to SPIDER-MAN, which will reunite stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst and director Sam Raimi, and is scheduled to hit screens in 2004.

Grossing a whopping $114.8M in its debut weekend, Sony Pictures' action- adventure SPIDER-MAN, with visual effects by Sony Imageworks, dominated the box office this weekend, setting all kinds of records along the way. Along with becoming the highest grossing debut in motion picture history, (besting previous record holder HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, which debuted with $90.3M in November 2001), the film also had the best single day gross (Saturday, May 4, 2002: $43.6M vs. HARRY POTTER's $33.5M) and became the fastest film to cross $100M, reaching that milestone in just three days.

Topping the box office for the second weekend in a row, THE SCORPION KING, with visual effects by Centropolis FX, took in $17.6M for a two-week total of $60.8M. However, THE SCORPION KING should be on the look out for SPIDER-MAN, who will no doubt dominate the box office next weekend, when it debuts on May 3rd. Psychological drama CHANGING LANES took second place again this weekend, earning $9M with $44.6M to date. Two new releases took third and fourth place with weak debuts.

Disney/Pixar's MONSTERS, INC., has usurped SHREK to become the second highest grossing animated film of all-time (behind only Disney's THE LION KING). The film has earned $504 million to date, comprised of $253 million in domestic box office receipts and $251.2 million in international box office receipts, where it has set records in Japan ($59.1 million, the most successful U.S. animated film ever), England ($53 million), Mexico ($20.1 million) and Spain ($13.5 million). Commenting on the announcement, Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, said, "MONSTERS, INC.

Coming on the heels of an announcement that the latest Disney/Pixar collaboration, MONSTERS, INC., has become the second highest grossing animated film of all-time, the two companies have announced their next three films. First up is FINDING NEMO. Set in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the film follows two fish, a father and his son Nemo, who become separated undersea. FINDING NEMO is set for release in summer 2003, and is written and directed by Andrew Stanton, co-director and co-screenwriter of A BUG'S LIFE. It stars the voice talent of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres and Willem Dafoe.