Three new releases helped the weekend box office rebound from the poor performance of the past few weeks. Box office receipts were up 52% this weekend with the three debut films taking the top three spots on the chart. The fashion-world parody ZOOLANDER took second place with $15.7M in its debut weekend. ZOOLANDER is the first film to be released that has digitally removed the World Trade Center from the skyline of downtown New York.

Computercafe has produced more than 30 visual effects shots for the feature film MEGIDDO: OMEGA CODE 2. The visual effects and animation studio provided 3D animation, visual effects production and compositing services, including modeling and animating precise computer graphic models of a variety of modern warplanes and helicopters. The studio created the opening shot of the film's climactic battle sequence, in which a squadron of F-15 fighter jets swoop out of the sky on a bombing run. Many of the shots that Computercafe created involved air combat.

Stanley Kubrick's award-winning classic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, will be shown in limited exclusive engagements beginning October 5, 2001, and continuing through the end of the year. Audiences will be able to see the acclaimed science fiction epic in a pristine 70mm print, with a digitally restored and fully remastered soundtrack. The new print premieres October 5 at the Cinerama Theater in Seattle. Subsequent engagements will follow at the Castro Theater in San Francisco, the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and The Uptown in Washington, D.C.

With only one new film in wide release, it was another slow weekend at U.S. movie theaters. Box office totals slumped even lower than last week, making this weekend a 52-week low. However, two limited release films made a good showing at the box office this weekend. Anime thriller VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST, debuting in just six theaters, managed to bring in a healthy $4,255 per screen. The Armegeddon-themed MEGIDDO: OMEGA CODE 2, with visual effects by Computercafe and Cinesite, did well in limited release as well, debuting in thirteenth place with $1.6M from 314 theaters.

With only two new films in wide release this weekend and in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, North American box office totals fell to their lowest level this year. Last week's number one film THE MUSKETEER, with primary visual effects by Das Werk, slipped two places to land at number three, adding $5.3M for $17.6M total to date. JEEPERS CREEPERS, with primary visual effects by E=MC2 and Max Ink Cafe LLC, continued its downward slide coming in seventh with $3.9M and $29.7M total.

Manga Entertainment Ltd. will release IG Studios’ BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE on DVD and VHS on September 17, 2001. The story revolves around Saya, a teenaged assassin sent to vanquish the blood-sucking fiends that have concealed themselves among humans at an air force base in Japan. This highly touted film was the best feature winner at the 2001 World Animation Celebration and is Japan’s first fully digitally-animated feature. The DVD will feature "The Making of BLOOD" documentary, image gallery, original Japanese theatrical trailers and Web links.

Director James Cameron's production company has signed on to develop a live-action version of Top Cow Prods.' popular comic book FATHOM. Created and illustrated by Michael Turner, FATHOM tells the story of young Aspen Mathews. After being found on an abandoned yacht with no memory of her past, she grows up and becomes an Olympic swimmer and marine biologist. During her research, she discovers a mysterious underwater race and her own aquatic powers. It is unlikely an animated version will ever see light though.

Despite generally poor reviews, the swordplay actioner THE MUSKETEER, with primary visual effects by Das Werk, managed to leap to the front of a rather wan pack during the first weekend of the fall movie season bringing in $10.7M for its debut. JEEPERS CREEPERS, with primary visual effects by E=MC2 and Max Ink Café LLC, fell three spots from last week's number one to come in fourth with a weekend gross of $6.1M, bringing its two week total to $24.3M.

Stockholm-based animation company Filmtecknarna has created four 2-minute long animated treatments of the Venice Biennale logo, projected onstage during the opening and closing events at the 58th International Venice Film Festival, August 29-September 8, 2001. Drawing on such diverse inspiration as the Italian comic La Lineau and shadows cast by people as they walk across the stage, the four spots experiment with organic shapes that shift and change to form the logo.

The new horror film JEEPERS CREEPERS, with primary visual effects by E=MC2 and Max Ink Café LLC, debuted at number one earning $15.8M over the four-day Labor Day weekend. RUSH HOUR 2, with primary visual effects by Cinesite, held the number two spot for the fourth consecutive week with a four-day take of $11.8M bringing its total gross to $198.9M. Holding steady in fifth place is the road comedy RAT RACE, with animated opening titles by Wild Brain, which has grossed $37.8M after 17 days.