Warner Bros. V FOR VENDETTA (with vfx by Cinesite, Double Negative and Baseblack) turned out to be one of the better openings for a graphic novel adaptation, with a smashing $25.6M to lead the box office for the weekend ended March 19, 2006. Paramounts FAILURE TO LAUNCH (with vfx by Lola Visual Effects) slipped to second in its second week, posting $15.6M for a cume of $48.2M. Following in third was Buena Vistas THE SHAGGY DOG (with vfx from Tippett Studio and Stan Winston Studio), which barked up another $13.3M for a two-week cume of $35.6M. DreamWorks SHES THE MAN (with vfx from Rainmaker) bowed in fourth with $10.7M. Coming in fifth with $8M and $28.7M was THE HILLS HAVE EYES from Fox SearchLight Pictures (vfx by Rez-Illusion). Sixth place went to Warner Bros. 16 BLOCKS (with vfx by LairdFX and Mr. X), which brought home $4.7M and a cume of $30.1M. Dipping to seventh with $4M was Buena Vistas EIGHT BELOW (with vfx by Stan Winston Studio, Stan Winston Digital, Illusion Arts, CIS Hollywood & ILM), which now has a cume of $73M. The Lionsgate release, TYLER PERRYS MADEAS FAMILY REUNION, dropped to eighth, with $2.9M and $60M so far. Holding firm in ninth place with $2.4M was Sonys remake of THE PINK PANTHER (2D-animated titles by Kurtz & Friends and vfx by Pixel Magic), which now has a cume of $78.5M. Foxs AQUAMARINE (with vfx by Animal Logic) settled for 10th with $2.1M and a cume of $15.7M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
