Considering how hard it was to get FREDDY VS. JASON on the big screen, New Line must be smiling now, as the dual franchise frightener (with vfx principally by Cinesite (Hollywood), Pixel Magic and Asylum) scared up $36.4M for the weekend box office ending Aug. 17, 2003. In fact, not even the power blackout that struck the Northeast and parts of the Midwest hindered the horror film, even when power was still out in large areas on Friday night. Ironically, the top 12 films scored 33% higher than the same weekend last year.
Meanwhile, S.W.A.T. fell 51% in its second weekend to grab second place. The Sony film (with vfx by Pixel Magic) collected $18.1M and now has $69.6 M to date. Disney's OPEN RANGE opened at number three with a respectable $14.M for a western (packed with vfx by Centropolis Effects LLC, Cinesite (Hollwood), Northern Effects and U & Co.). Disney's FREAKY FRIDAY remake dropped to fourth place, picking up $13.4M in its second weekend for a cume of nearly $58.4M (with Jacqueline Allard serving as digital compositor). MGM's teen comedy, UPTOWN GIRLS, debuted in fifth place with $11.2M. Disney's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL dropped to sixth with $9.1M. To date, the swashbuckling blockbuster and the surprise of the summer has nabbed a bounty worth $248.7M, with vfx by Industrial Light & Magic, Boy Wonder, CIS, Digiscope, Gray Matter FX, Method and Pacific Title.
Universal's AMERICAN WEDDING (with vfx by Soho VFX) fell to seventh, garnering $8.4M in its third weekend for a total of $80.8M Universal's SEABISCUIT took hold of the eighth spot with $8M for a cume of $83M. The Cinderella racehorse saga featured vfx by Pixel Playground Inc., Sony Pictures Imageworks and The Orphanage. SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER secured ninth place, collecting $5.2M for a cool $96.8M to date. Hybride Technologies and The Orphanage shared vfx duties for the Dimension Films release. And Sony's BAD BOYS II hit the 10th spot with $3.1M for a cume of $128.8M, with vfx by Sony Pictures Imageworks and K.N.B. EFX Group Inc.
After 12 weekends, Disney/Pixar's FINDING NEMO dropped out of the top 10, but with another $1.3M now has reeled in $327.7M to lead the pack this year. Once it passes the LION KING's $328.5M later this week (which includes the IMAX reissue gross), there will be no question that the computer-animated father-son fish tale will be the reigning animation king. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Lastly, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, the Sundance award-winning documentary about Cleveland's comic book artist Harvey Pekar, featuring black-and-white Flash animation by John Kuramoto and Gary Leib, debuted at $159,705 in only six theaters. That's a whopping per-screen average of $26,617 for the Fine Line release.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
