Without any major new releases in U.S. theaters, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS grabbed the top spot once again. The cartoon redux, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, grossed another US$27.1 million, climbing its total take at U.S. box offices to a whopping $172 million. The rest of the top five also remained the same, with UNBREAKABLE collecting $14.44 million in second. The superhero drama, with primary visual effects by The Secret Lab and TSL, has a cume of $66.35 million thus far. 102 DALMATIANS was spotted in third, with a gross of $8.3 million.

Fox 2000 has brought Ron "Gustin" Parker in to write the action-comedy-mystery feature script for THE HARDY MEN. The story will feature grown-up feuding Hardy Boys, who must re-team to save their kidnapped father. The original idea for the project came to Fox four years ago by writer Michael Sargent. Parker, who has sold his scripts TYPHOID HARRY to Paramount Pictures and IMAGING NATHAN to Universal Pictures, will do a complete rewrite of the original Sargent script.

ADV Films is releasing Mainframe Entertainment's 3D animated TV series WEIRD-OHS on video. The series chronicles the town of Weirdsville, the fast-paced world just off Route 66, where cars and racing is the way of life. The first 110 minute volume will be released on November 28, 2000 with two more following on December 5, 2000 and January 23, 2001. Each tape will retail for US$12.98 each.

The anime feature, LEDA: THE FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF YOHKO, is arriving on video November 28, 2000. The story follows high school student Yohko as she travels to Earth's mirror planet Ashanti and must aid the universal warriors in defeating the dimension's new leaders from taking over Earth. The video will be available in an English-subtitled and English-dubbed version for US$9.95.

Based on the popular TV series SUPERDIMENSIONAL FORTRESS MACROSS, MACROSS II is the follow-up to the original anime classic. Hitting stores on November 28, 2000, the second film in the theatrical MACROSS franchise, continues the tale of Earth's fight against the Zentradi, an alien race of giants. Taking place eight years after the first MACROSS in a time of peace, renegade Zentradi bent on war use strength sapping music to defeat the humans.

GASARAKI 2: THE CIRCLE OPENS… arrives on video from ADV Films November 28, 2000. In this sequel, giant robots battle to uncover the secrets of the T.A. team, which is attacked by a mysterious unknown enemy. The film will be released in an English-dubbed VHS version and on DVD, which will contain both an English-dubbed and English-subtitled edition. Volume 3 is set for release on January 23, 2001 with Volume 4 available on March 27, 2001. The VHS tape will sell for US$19.98 and the DVD for $29.98.

Right Stuf International will release three new CAPTAIN TYLOR collections on video November 28, 2000. The final volume of THE IRRESPONSIBLE CAPTAIN TYLOR will contain part one and two of the "From Here to Eternity" tale, which concludes the bumbling war between UPSF and Raalgon forces. The humorous series continues in the release of THE IRRESPONSIBLE CAPTAIN TYLOR "Music Video Collection," which features Captain Tylor belting out funny tunes with the crew of the Soyokaze.

Manga Video is releasing anime classic WINGS OF HONNEAMISE on DVD November 28, 2000. At the time of the production in 1987, HONNEAMISE marked the highest budget for any Japanese animated feature ever at ¥800 million (approximately US$8 million). The DVD's special features are: three language tracks, one in English, one in Japanese and one in Japanese with English subtitles; director commentary; an original promotional short; a deleted scene; conceptual artwork; and storyboards.

Disney's in-development animated feature SWEATING BULLETS has gained a voice cast. Oscar winners Cuba Gooding Jr. and Judi Dench will join Sarah Jessica Parker and Ja'Net DuBois on the cast of the Western-themed musical. Randy Quaid is also in talks to voice a character. The story chronicles a group of cows who team together to save their farm. No production date has been announced, but the film has been in development for about three years.

With international numbers trickling in due to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, it looks like CHARLIE'S ANGELS is charming audiences around the world. In its U.K. debut, ANGELS raked in a whopping US$4.52 million. After five-weeks in U.K. theatres, WHAT LIES BENEATH sunk to second, with a gross of $768,052, elevating its cume to $16.39 million. In fourth, BEDAZZLED danced in with $505,329, raising its U.K. cume to $3.92 million. LITTLE NICKY possessed 5th place, grossing $385,214, thereby growing its U.K. cume to $1.46 million.

For the second straight weekend, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS has captured the top spot at the U.S. box office. With the second highest all time five-day Thanksgiving holiday cume of US$73.8 million, THE GRINCH, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, has nabbed an amazing $137.1 million in just ten days. Therefore, director M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to last year's sleeper hit, THE SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE had to settle for a second place debut.

Nickelodeon Films and Paramount Pictures have asked producer/actor Dan Schneider to pen the script for their next animated feature based on Keith Graves' short story PET BOY. The story will unravel the adventures of a pet-loving boy and his trip to an alien planet after discovering a secret alien pet selling operation at his local pet store. The project came to Nick as a pitch from Graves and producer John Williams. Schneider might be best known for his role as Dennis on the '80s sitcom HEAD OF THE CLASS.

The critically acclaimed animated flick, CHICKEN RUN, will fly into video stores on November 21, 2000. Fans of the US$105 million box office hit will be able to own the death-defying adventures of Ginger and the rest of the Tweedy Farm hens as they race time to avoid the chopping block. The film features the voices of Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha and Miranda Richardson. The DVD will feature audio commentary from directors Nick Park and Peter Lord, "The Hatching of CHICKEN RUN" featurette, a "making of" documentary and interactive games.

On Monday, November 20, 2000, DreamWorks announced it would release its US$186.6 million summer blockbuster GLADIATOR on Imax screens. The film will hit theaters in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Toronto and other major cities on Wednesday, November 22, one day after it hits video stores on VHS and DVD. The flick will be shown in its original 35mm format. No details on the financial terms of the deal between Imax and DreamWorks were released. When Disney's FANTASIA/2000 played on the giant screens in January, the two companies split the proceeds 50/50.

ADV Films and DIC will release the first two compellations of the popular TV anime series SAILOR MOON on November 21, 2000. The series is the story of Serena, a junior high school student who discovers that she has mystical powers and must defend the world against Queen Beryl and the evils of the Negaverse. ADV Films has licensed the first 82 episodes of the series from DIC and will be releasing them periodically. "The Legend Begins" and "The Power of Friendship" will be the first two volumes released, containing four episodes each. The tapes will retail for US$12.98 each.

Despite the threat of an actors' strike at the end of June, Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment have decided to start the production of MEN IN BLACK 2 on June 3. Priority will be set on New York exteriors and heavy effects shots. Therefore, if an actors' strike does disrupt shooting the visual effects artists can start on the effects in the interim. The first MEN IN BLACK stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are set to return with Barry Sonnenfeld reprising his role as director.

Aardman Animations and BBC Video have announced they will be releasing "The Incredible Adventures of Wallace & Gromit" featuring all three of the Wallace & Gromit shorts. A GRAND DAY OUT has Wallace and Gromit traveling to the moon in search of cheese. THE WRONG TROUSERS chronicles the mishaps that ensue when Wallace takes in a shifty penguin as a lodger. A CLOSE SHAVE uncovers how Wallace and Gromit unravel a countrywide sheep-rustling ring. The volume will retail for US$19.98. Note the shrewd timing of this video -- on the same day that Aardman's CHICKEN RUN is released in stores!

GLADIATOR director Ridley Scott and mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer have teamed up to produce a new pirate picture entitled CAPTAIN KIDD, based on the life of the 17th century pirate. The film will be a co-production between Disney and Scott's Scott Free Films with Scott directing. Disney bought the idea in a near six-figure deal with writers Doug Cook and David Weisberg (THE ROCK and DOUBLE JEOPARDY).

Warner Home Video (WHV) will release the documentary CHUCK JONES: EXTREMES AND IN-BETWEENS, A LIFE IN ANIMATION on November 21, 2000. Whoopi Goldberg, Matt Groening, Ron Howard, John Lasseter, Leonard Maltin, Steven Spielberg and Robin Williams are among the stars featured in the film. The flick features never-before-seen artwork and original pencil sketches from Jones' personal archive in addition to clips from such classic works as RABBIT OF SEVILLE, WHAT'S OPERA, DOC?, ONE FROGGY EVENING, DUCK AMUCK, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! and Academy Award winner THE DOT AND THE LINE.

ADV Films is releasing the third volume of the LOST UNIVERSE series on video November 14, 2000. The series is a zany space adventure following the exploits of the starship Swordbreaker and its crew. Included in the third installment, the crew's only bathroom gets lost in a giant maze. Each tape features 4 episodes. The first two volumes in the series were released earlier this year. The film retails for US$19.98 for English dubbed and $29.95 for English subtitled.