INSIDE MAN, Spike Lees smart heist film, overtook V FOR VENDETTA at the box office for the weekend ended March 26, 2006. The Universal feature debuted with $28.9M compared to Warner Bros. VENDETTA, which dropped 52% in its second week, grabbing $12.3M. With vfx by Cinesite, Double Negative and Baseblack, VENDETTA has now grossed $46.2M. Debuting at number three was Buena Vistas horror-filled STAY ALIVE, which captured $10.7M. Slipping to fourth was Paramounts FAILURE TO LAUNCH (with vfx by Lola Visual Effects), which managed $10.4M for a three-week cume of $63.5M. Taking fifth place was Buena Vistas THE SHAGGY DOG (with vfx from Tippett Studio and Stan Winston Studio), which barked up another $9M for a total of $47.8M. DreamWorks SHES THE MAN (with vfx from Rainmaker) followed in sixth with $7.2M and $20.3M. Debuting in the seventh spot with $6.9M was Lionsgates LARRY THE CABLE GUY: HEALTH INSPECTOR. Fox Searchlights THE HILLS HAVE EYES (vfx by Rez-Illusion) took eighth place with $4.3M and $35.7M. Buena Vistas EIGHT BELOW (with vfx by Stan Winston Studio, Stan Winston Digital, Illusion Arts, CIS Hollywood & ILM) settled for ninth with $2.7m for a cume of $77.1M. Warner Bros. 16 BLOCKS (with vfx by LairdFX and Mr. X), took the 10th spot with $2.1M for a tally of $34M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
