With the #1 opening of Columbia Pictures' GRIDIRON GANG starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Sony Pictures Releasing has launched 10 #1 movies to date in 2006 more than any studio has ever released in a single year.
The success of the film, which opened to $14.4M, puts Sony Pictures in first place in the 2006 industry market share race. To date, the studio has generated more than $1.15 billion in North American ticket sales and has captured 17.6% off all tickets sold. The previous record of nine No. 1 films in a single year also belongs to Sony Pictures Ent. and was set in 2003.
GRIDIRON GANG was followed by two newcomers: Brian De Palmas nourish THE BLACK DAHLIA, which capturing $10M for Universal Pictures (with Steve Wright Digital FX providing titles and end credit animation), for a second place finish; and the 3D-animated EVERYONES HERO from Starz Animation (formerly IDT), which scored $6M for Fox and finished third. Last weeks winner, THE CONVENANT, fell to fourth, grabbing $4.7M for Screen Gems (with vfx from Luma) for a two-week cume of $15.7M. Another newcomer, THE LAST KISS, followed in fifth with $4.6M for Paramount/DreamWorks. Buena Vistas INVINCIBLE settled for sixth with $4.1M and $51.1M. THE ILLUSIONIST from Yari Film Group Releasing took the seventh spot with $3.6M and $23.1M. The eighth place finisher was Fox Searchlights LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, which added $3.3M to its cume of $46.3M. Ninth place belonged to Focus Features HOLLYWOODLAND (with vfx from Mr. X), which took in $2.7M for a cume of $10.5M. Liongates CRANK finished 10th with $2.6M and a tally of $24.3M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
