Hannibal/Tiger Slash Records

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgHANNIBAL, the sequel to the Oscar-winning best picture SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, has slashed U.S. box office records on its way to claiming first place in its debut weekend. The cannibalistic cavalcade, with primary visual effects by Mill Film, ate up US$58 million, making it the all-time highest grossing opening weekend for an R-rated film. The blood-thirsty thriller also claimed the highest opening for a film release in January through April, beating out the re-release of STAR WARS. Still improving after 10 weeks in U.S. theaters, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON moved up a slot to finish fourth, grossing $5.4 million. The kung fu fantasy, with primary visual effects by Blue Sky Studios, CFC/MVFX and Manex Visual Effects, has amassed $60.34 million, making it the highest grossing foreign language film of all-time in the States. Surfacing in fifth, CAST AWAY collected another $5.16 million. The Robinson Crusoe wanna-be, with primary visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks, has floated in $209.8 million to date. Down one to finish in seventh, TRAFFIC smuggled in an additional $4.43 million. The drug war drama, with primary visual effects by Cinesite, has locked up $71.89 million. Slipping out of the top ten to land in 14th place, SNATCH secured another $2.05 million. The diamond stealing send-up, with visual effects by Digital Film @ The Moving Picture Company, has accumulated $25.08 million so far. Holding on in sixteenth, THIRTEEN DAYS rocketed in an additional $1.55 million. The Cuban missile crisis drama, with primary visual effects by Cinesite and Visual Concept Entertainment, has garnered $30.65 million. Moving up a slot to finish at #18, THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE laughed in another $1.33 million. The animated buddy flick has drummed up $83.5 million to date. Other animated and special effects laden films finishing in the top fifty were: LEFT BEHIND at #22, with a gross of $717,502 and a cume of $3.2 million; VERTICAL LIMIT at #25, with a gross of $400,235 and a cume of $67.77 million; 102 DALMATIANS at #29, with a gross of $239,708 and a cume of $64.37 million; CYBERWORLD 3D at #35, with a gross of $162,370 and a cume of $5.72 million; RUGRATS IN PARIS at #36, with a gross of $110,259 and a cume of $75.23 million; CHARLIE'S ANGELS at #37, with a gross of $108,297 and a cume of $125.1 million; HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS at #39, with a gross of $97,980 and a cume of $259.8 million; T-REX: BACK TO THE CRETACEOUS at #46, with a gross of $46,576 and a cume of $36.06 million; and DRACULA 2000 at #49, with a gross of $41,492 and a cume of $33 million. Box office figures were obtained at HollywoodReporter.com.