With three major releases this past weekend, Sony Pictures HOLLOW MAN was far from invisible at the U.S. box office, finishing in first place. The INVISIBLE MAN redux, with primary visual effects by The Ranch Entertainment, Tippett Studios and Sony Imageworks, grossed US$26.41 million, giving it the second largest August opening in history. Falling to second, THE NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS dropped 58% from its debut weekend, with a gross of $18.17 million. The phat festival, with primary visual effects by Double Negative Ltd., has rounded up $76.7 million thus far. Premiering in third, SPACE COWBOYS marked the highest debut for star Clint Eastwood as a director and/or actor, with a gross of $18.09 million. Sinking to fifth behind the initial nod of live-action COYOTE UGLY, WHAT LIES BENEATH has amassed $13.81 million. The high-grossing ghost tale, with primary visual effects by SPI, has a cume of $95.13 million. Foxs X-MEN fell to sixth place with a gross of $6.76 million. The mutant menagerie, with primary visual effects by Cinesite, CORE Digital, Digital Domain, Hammerhead Productions, Kleiser-Walczak Co., Matte World and POP Film, has racked up a cume of $135.2 million. The long-lasting SCARY MOVIE landed in seventh place, grossing another $4.25 million. The slasher-flick spoof, with primary visual effects by Centropolis Effects, has garnered an impressive $140.1 million, making it the highest grossing film in Miramax history. Warner Bros. THE PERFECT STORM docked in the eighth spot with a gross of $3.98 million. The sea-faring spectacle, with primary visual effects by ILM, has floated $165.6 million so far. Rounding out the top ten was THE PATRIOT, with a ticket take of $2.32 million. After this weekend, Sonys American-British struggle saga, with primary visual effects by Centropolis Effects, DOD and CFX, has raised its cume to $105.7 million. POKEMON THE MOVIE 2000 has bottomed out falling to #11, with a gross of $2.12 million, raising its cume to $38.23 million. THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE lost steam and stalled at 12th place, with a gross of $2.03 million, advancing its cume to $10.86 million. Falling to #13, CHICKEN RUN, with stop-motion animation by Aardman Animations and 3D animation by Computer Film Company, London, clucked up another $1.88 million. The poultry parade has grossed a total of $97.16 million, and this week will most likely become the third pic, with GLADIATOR and WHAT LIE BENEATH, to reach the $100 million mark for DreamWorks this year. Coming in at 16th, GLADIATOR, with primary visual effects by Mill Film Ltd., garnered $493,925, bringing its cume to $181 million. At #18, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, with primary visual effects by Pacific Data Images, Double Negative Ltd. and CFC, rounded up an additional $471,336, advancing its cume to $212.1 million. Right behind at #19, GONE IN 60 SECONDS, with primary visual effects by Asylum Visual Effects and Disneys Secret Lab, added another $436,372 to its $95.9 million cume. THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE, with primary visual effects by ILM and animation by Wild Brain, slipped to 18th place, with a gross of $411,840, bringing its cume to $24.21 million. Other animated and special effects laden films finishing in the top fifty were: U-571 at #31, with a gross of $154,685 and a cume of $76.93 million; SHAFT at #32, with a gross of $150,123 and a cume of $63.16 million; T-REX: BACK TO THE CRETACEOUS at #37, with a gross of $93,623 and a cume of $32.34 million; FLINTSTONES VIVA ROCK VEGAS at #38, with a gross of $92,575 and a cume of $35.11 million; TITAN A.E. at #41, with a gross of $81,202 and a cume of $22.53 million; ALIEN ADVENTURE at #42, with a gross of $80,006 and a cume of $2.13 million; FINAL DESTINATION at #43, with a gross of $72,204 and a cume of $53.2 million; and DINOSAUR at #46, with a gross of $69,126 and a cume of $133.7 million. Box office reports obtained in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
