X-cellent Opening For Mutant Men

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgMaking a big bang at the U.S. box office, 20th Century Fox’s THE X-MEN finished at #1. The mutant mayhem, with primary visual effects by Cinesite, CORE Digital, Digital Domain, Hammerhead Productions, Kleiser-Walczak Co., Matte World and POP Film, grossed an outstanding US$54.47 million. This gross marks the second highest three-day take of the year, behind MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, and the fourth highest three-day gross of all time. Last week’s top film, SCARY MOVIE, finished in second with a gross of $26.2 million. The horror movie send-off, with primary visual effects by Centropolis Effects, has racked up an astounding $89.1 million thus far. THE PERFECT STORM slipped to third place with a gross of $17.13 million. The wet-and-wild wonder, with primary visual effects by ILM, has flooded Warner Bros.’ pockets with a cume of $128.5 million. Sony’s THE PATRIOT moved down a spot to #4, with a weekend tally of $10.61 million. The pseudo-historical pic, with primary visual effects by Centropolis Effects, DOD and CFX, has salvaged a cume of $83.76 million. CHICKEN RUN crossed the finish line in sixth place. DreamWorks’ stop-motion savior laid another $7.91 million, raising its total output to $77.03 million. Actually moving up a spot to #9, GONE IN 60 SECONDS grossed another $2.54 million. The Angelina Jolie-vehicle, with primary visual effects by Asylum Visual Effects and Disney’s Secret Lab, has raced to a cume of $90.98 million. Rounding out the top ten, SHAFT grossed an additional $2.39 million, advancing its cume to $65.98 million. The mission isn’t over yet for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2. Paramount’s prince, with primary visual effects by Pacific Data Images, Double Negative Ltd. and CFC, added $2.31 million to its $207.7 million cume. THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE dive bombed to #12. The ‘60s series redux, with primary visual effects by ILM and animation by Wild Brain, landed another $2.28 million, bringing its cume to $20.42 million. DreamWorks’ GLADIATOR finished the weekend at #13. The Roman romp, with primary visual effects by Mill Film Ltd., grossed an additional $1.57 million, raising its cume to $176.6 million. DINOSAUR has sunk to #15, with a gross of $462,243, bringing its cume to $132.8 million. Other animated and special effects laden films finishing in the top fifty were: U-571 at #22, with a gross of $197,480 and a cume of $76.07 million; FLINTSTONES VIVA ROCK VEGAS at #23, with a gross of $194,270 and a cume of $34.37 million; FINAL DESTINATION at #25, with a gross of $179,234 and a cume of $52.59 million; TITAN A.E. at #26, with a gross of $173,753 and a gross of $21.91 million; WHERE THE HEART IS at #32, with a gross of $118,442 and a cume of $33.21 million; FREQUENCY at #33, with a gross of $115,215 and a cume of $43.55 million; ALIEN ADVENTURE at #39, with a gross of $80,499 and a cume of $1.75 million; and T-REX: BACK TO THE CRETACEOUS at #42, with a gross of $68,253 and a cume of $31.67 million. Box office reports obtained in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.