`BRIDE' CATCHES BIGGEST BOUQUET.Byline: Dave McNary Staff Writer Moviegoers mobbed multiplexes to catch Julia Roberts' comedy ``Runaway Bride'' as it led a record-setting weekend at the nation's box office with a robust $34.5 million at 3,158 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period, studio sources said Sunday Sunday: see Sabbath; week. . ``Bride'' topped an astounding a·stound tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, performance by horror sensation ``The Blair Witch Project'' - with $28.5 million at 1,101 theaters - with the mock-documentary continuing to generate sell-outs as it expanded from the art-house circuit to mainstream locales. Summer continued to sizzle siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. with overall ticket sales hitting $155 million, obliterating o·blit·er·ate tr.v. o·blit·er·at·ed, o·blit·er·at·ing, o·blit·er·ates 1. To do away with completely so as to leave no trace. See Synonyms at abolish. 2. the previous record for a three-day nonholiday weekend - set last weekend - by an astounding 14 percent. ``The level of business right now is just mind-boggling,'' said Robert Bucksbaum, president of the Reel Source forecasting service. ``Everyone is going; it's become the thing to do.'' Two other notable records fell this weekend: Top opening for an adult-oriented comedy by ``Runaway Bride This article is about meanings of Runaway bride. For other uses of the word Runaway, see Runaway. A runaway bride is a bride who runs away from the wedding chapel, usually shortly before the ceremony, often due to so-called cold feet. ,'' eclipsing the $31.5 million debut last year for ``The Truman Show.'' Top per-theater weekend average by ``Blair Witch'' with $25,885, beating the record set by ``Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace'' by 19 percent. Paramount's ``Runaway Bride,'' with Roberts portraying a woman who keeps getting cold feet at the altar altar, table or platform for the performance of religious sacrifice. In its simplest form the altar is a small pile, with a square or circular surface, made of stone or wood. Its features vary according to its purpose. , also represented the top opening for a film by the comedy star as it easily surpassed the $27.7 million debut by ``Notting Hill'' over the four-day Memorial Day weekend. The reteaming of Roberts with ``Pretty Woman'' co-star co·star also co-star n. A starring actor or actress given equal status with another or others in a play or film. tr. & intr.v. co·starred, co·star·ring, co·stars To act or present as a costar. Richard Gere and director Garry Marshall should continue to prove potent in coming weeks, with final gross in the range of the $127 million taken in by Roberts' 1997 hit, ``My Best Friend's Wedding.'' ``The weekend was well beyond what we expected,'' said Paramount distribution chief Wayne Lewellen. ``We think the public was ready for a film that was aimed at older audiences. The word of mouth should be pretty good.'' As for ``Blair Witch,'' the made-on-a-shoestring project achieved break-out hit status among teen-agers and young adults as buzz continued to build over the unique tale of three filmmakers disappearing into the Maryland Maryland (mâr`ələnd), one of the Middle Atlantic states of the United States. It is bounded by Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean (E), the District of Columbia (S), Virginia and West Virginia (S, W), and Pennsylvania (N). wilderness wilderness, land retaining its primeval character with the imprint of humans minimal or unnoticeable. In the United States, the Wilderness Act of 1964 established the National Wilderness Preservation System with a nucleus of 9 million acres (3. . ``The desire to see `Blair Witch' has been spreading like wildfire,'' said Bucksbaum, who boosted his forecast for its final take to $150 million from $85 million. ``Everyone is interested in this film.'' Artisan will add 800 to 900 theaters next weekend, many in smaller markets, for ``Blair Witch'' as part of its strategy of gradually building awareness. ``I think this film has become a cultural phenomenon,'' said studio President Amir Malin. ``This issue for us has now become saying `no' to exhibitors who want the film because we want to avoid cannibalizing our audience in markets where it's already playing.'' Three other films posted impressive results, led by Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .' first weekend of hungry-sharks-fest ``Deep Blue Sea,'' with $18.2 million at 2,864 theaters to go with the $6.1 million it swallowed Wednesday and Thursday. Another horror entry, DreamWorks' second weekend of ``The Haunting haunt·ing adj. Continually recurring to the mind; unforgettable: a haunting melody. haunt ,'' finished a respectable fourth with $15.1 million at 2,864 theaters as the tale of a demonic house dropped off 55 percent from its leading post last weekend. Disney's second weekend of family comedy ``Inspector Gadget'' followed with $14 million at 2,877 locations, losing 36 percent. Industry tracker Arthur Rockwell noted the weekend represented the ninth in a row in which a different film has led the box office as summer moviegoing remains at a pace 20 percent above last summer's record-setting level. ``The overall numbers are the story,'' he said. ``It's not that people are going blindly to movies; it's that attendance is being driven by good product flow and the development of large megaplex theaters.'' The next six spots on the weekend list were occupied by films that have finished at No. 1 during the past two months, led by Universal's fourth weekend of ``American Pie'' with $6.7 million at 2,436 sites, followed by Warner's third weekend of ``Eyes Wide Shut'' with $4.1 million at 2,264 theaters as Stanley Stanley, town (1991 pop. 1,557), capital of the Falkland Islands, S Atlantic Ocean, on East Falkland island. It is the main port and trading center of the islands. The name is sometimes written as Port Stanley. Kubrick's final film continued its quick fade with a 61 percent decline from last weekend. Sony's sixth weekend of ``Big Daddy'' finished eighth with $3.5 million at 2,288 screens as it became the sixth 1999 film and 66th of all time to join the $150 million club, posting $152.6 million. 20th Century Fox's 11th weekend of ``Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace'' followed with $3.3 million at 1,640 sites to push its 75-day total to $408.5 million. Disney's seventh weekend of ``Tarzan'' came in 10th with $3 million at 1,611 theaters, to go past $158 million and edge Warner's fifth weekend of ``Wild Wild West'' with $2.7 million at 2,151 sites. The summer's business has been so powerful that ``West'' is viewed as a disappointment even though the high-budget comedy has hit $109 million after 33 days. With five potentially solid openings next weekend and holdovers expected to continue to perform well, business is likely to sizzle for several more weeks. Disney, taking advantage of the horror genre's strength, showed sneak screenings Saturday of ``The Sixth Sense'' and reported strong response for the Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is an American actor and singer. He came to fame in the late 1980s and has since retained a career as both a Hollywood leading man and a supporting actor, in particular for his role as John McClane in the Die Hard series. vehicle, moved up from fall to roll out Friday. Also opening will be MGM's remake re·make tr.v. re·made , re·mak·ing, re·makes To make again or anew. n. 1. The act of remaking. 2. Something in remade form, especially a new version of an earlier movie or song. of ``The Thomas Crown Affair'' and a trio of comedies - Warner's animated ``Iron Giant,'' Universal's ``Mystery Men'' and Sony's ``Dick.'' Bucksbaum said the new films will likely generate respectable business because each is geared to a different audience, but he added that the expanded ``Blair Witch'' probably will win next weekend. ``There are probably a lot of studio executives asking producers now why they can't do something like `Blair Witch,' '' he added. Final results for the Friday-Sunday period will be released today. TOP MOVIES Estimated grosses for Friday through Sunday at North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. theaters: 1. ``Runaway Bride,'' $34.5 million. 2. ``The Blair Witch Project,'' $28.5 million. 3. ``Deep Blue Sea,'' $18.2 million. 4. ``The Haunting,'' $15.1 million. 5. ``Inspector Gadget,'' $14 million. 6. ``American Pie,'' $6.7 million. 7. ``Eyes Wide Shut,'' $4.1 million. 8. ``Big Daddy,'' $3.5 million. 9. ``Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace MENACE. A threat; a declaration of an intention to cause evil to happen to another. 2. When menaces to do an injury to another have been made, the party making them may, in general, be held to bail to keep the peace; and, when followed by any inconvenience or ,'' $3.3 million. 10. ``Tarzan,'' $3 million. CAPTION(S): box Box: Top movies (see text) |
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