The Grinch Steals US Box Office Crown

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgAt this weekend's box office, Universal's HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS thieved the U.S. crown with a multi-record breaking premiere. The GRINCH grossed US$55.08 million, making it the biggest debut for star Jim Carrey and director Ron Howard, best non-holiday debut in November, biggest opening for a non-sequel and the eighth biggest weekend gross of all time. Therefore, Paramount and Nickelodeon's THE RUGRATS IN PARIS had to settle for a second place premiere. The second feature based on the wildly popular RUGRATS TV series, with animation by Klasky Csupo, grossed $22.72 million. Former two-week champion, CHARLIE'S ANGELS slipped to third, with a gross of $13.36 million. The explosion fest, with primary visual effects by Flash Film Works, has nabbed $93.26 million to date. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new flick, THE 6TH DAY, premiered in fourth. The clone crisis caper, with primary visual effects by Rhythm & Hues, collected a disappointing $13.02 million. In seventh, dropping 49% from its debut last week, New Line's LITTLE NICKY possessed another $7.75 million. The Adam Sandler Satan send-up, with primary visual effects by VisionArt, Pixel Magic and Rhythm & Hues, has a cume of $26.51 million. RED PLANET descended from fifth to finish ninth, grossing $2.82 million. With a 67% drop from its premiere last weekend, the Mars mission, with primary visual effects by Cinesite, Digital Domain, Rhythm & Hues and In Post, holds a disparaging cume of $13.52 million. Finishing out the top ten, THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE grossed $2.82 million. The feel-good golf picture, with primary visual effects by PDI, has accumulated $25.22 million thus far. Dropping from tenth to #15, BEDAZZLED captured an additional $700,489. The sexy satanic seducer, with primary visual effects by Rhythm & Hues, has bewitched $35.94 million so far. Making a big leap from #45 to #19, WHAT LIES BENEATH sunk another $245,448. The Ford/Pfeiffer fright fest, with primary visual effects by SPI, has drummed up an amazing $154.4 million. Other animated and special effects laden films finishing in the top fifty were: CYBERWORLD 3D at #21, with a gross of $211,893 and a cume of $2.49 million; THE LITTLE VAMPIRE at #22, with a gross of $209,014 and a cume of $13.43 million; ALMOST FAMOUS at #23, with a gross of $166,878 and a cume of $31.2 million; SCARY MOVIE at #31, with a gross of $128,208 and a cume of $157 million; THE PERFECT STORM at #34, with a gross of $92,903 and a cume of $182.5 million; NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS at #35, with a gross of $90,085 and a cume of $123 million; X-MEN at #39, with a gross of $73,223 and a cume of $157.3 million; THE EXORCIST at #42, with a gross of $66,711 and a cume of $39.39 million; DINOSAUR at #43, with a gross of $66,122 and a cume of $137.6 million; DIGIMON: THE MOVIE at #46, with a gross of $58,598 and a cume of $9.52 million; and T-REX: BACK TO THE CRETACEOUS at #50, with a gross of $41,684 and a cume of $35.29 million. Box office figures were obtained on HollywoodReporter.com.