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.

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.

With the largest April opening in history, THE SCORPION KING, with visual effects by Centropolis FX, topped the box office this weekend. Starring The Rock, this "prequel" to THE MUMMY franchise earned $36.2M in its debut. The weekend's other new release, MURDER BY NUMBERS, debuted in third with a tepid $9.5M while last week's number one film, CHANGING LANES, took second place with $11.2M and $32.8M to date. Disney's THE ROOKIE climbed a notch to fourth place with $6.3M and a four week total of $53.7M, while ICE AGE dropped two spots to land in sixth place with $5.7M and a cume of $159.5M.

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.

LEGO Media, the entertainment division of the LEGO Company, has selected animation studio Creative Capers Entertainment to produce BIONICLE: THE MASK OF LIGHT, a 70-minute, CGI-animated direct-to-video feature scheduled to debut in September 2003. The project is LEGO Media’s first production based on original characters and story lines created by the LEGO Company. The story of BIONICLE: THE MASK OF LIGHT takes its inspiration from the folklore of many cultures and features six bio-mechanical heroes, called the Toa, who come from the island of Mata Nui.

The new psychological thriller CHANGING LANES topped the box office this week, despite a strong performance from PANIC ROOM, which fell to second in its third week. CHANGING LANES debuted with $17.5M, while PANIC ROOM, with visual effects by ComputerCafe, scared up $11.3M for a three-week total of $74.1M. The girl buddy comedy THE SWEETEST THING took the third spot with $10M. Showing that family-friendly films are holding their own at the box office, ICE AGE is in fourth place after five weeks in release.

The Tribeca Film Festival and The Children's Aid Society (CAS) will co-host the exclusive New York premiere of STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES three days before the film is scheduled to open nationwide. On Sunday, May 12, 2002 the festival will host private screenings for Children's Aid Society youngsters and for the children and families affected by September 11th. The afternoon screening will be a fundraising premiere to benefit The Children's Aid Society. Ticket sales for the afternoon CAS benefit screening have officially begun.