files/pictures/picture-35.jpgWith bad reviews a side Buena Vista's MISSION TO MARS finished #1 at the U.S. box office. Serving as the closest thing to an event flick currently in U.S. theatres, MISSION TO MARS became the third highest March debut in U.S. history. The space spectacle, with primary special effects by ILM and Dream Quest Images, grossed US$22.9 million in its first weekend. Finishing in second place in its opening weekend was THE NINTH GATE, with primary special effects by Sony Imageworks and Mikros Image. Teaming Roman Polanski and the Devil once again, the film released by Artisan grossed $6.6 million. Moving back up the U.S. box office charts, AMERICAN BEAUTY finished the weekend at #5, grossing $3.66 million and bringing its cume to $98 million. With kid-flick MY DOG SKIP opening in wider release, SNOW DAY, with special effects by Curious Pictures, fell to ninth place grossing out parents and $3.19 million. The Paramount kid-pic has now grossed a total of $53 million. USA Films' PITCH BLACK fell 5 places to #10. The sci-fi flick, with primary visual effects by Double Negative Ltd. and The Chandler Group, grossed $2.94 million bringing its total to $34.1 million. THE TIGGER MOVIE stayed steady at thirteenth place grossing $2.46 million and bringing its cume to $38.8 million. WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM?, with primary special effects by Sony Imageworks, grossed $1.46 million in its second weekend in U.S. theatres raising its cume to $5.4 million. Continuing a steady money flow, FANTASIA/2000 made another $1.46 million bringing its IMAX release total to $31.1 million. Other special effects laden or animation films finishing in the top thirty were: THE SIXTH SENSE at #20, with a gross of $970,000 and a cume of $286.8 million; THE GREEN MILE at #22, with a gross of $660,000 and a cume of $133.6 million; SLEEPY HOLLOW at #23, with a gross of $560,000 and a cume of $99.2 million; STUART LITTLE at #24, with a gross of $520,000 and a cume of $137.5 million; TOY STORY 2 at #28, with a gross of $280,000 and a cume of $241.4 million; and GALAXY QUEST at #30, with a gross of $220,000 and a cume of $69.9 million.
Check out Rick DeMott's review of
THE TIGGER MOVIE in the March issue of Animation World Magazine.
