`CARS' FLIES LIKE WINNER AT INDY.Byline: GREG HERNANDEZ Staff Writer ``Cars'' took the checkered flag at the multiplex this weekend, with estimated ticket sales of $62.8 million, giving distributor Walt Disney Studios The name Walt Disney Studios may refer to:
Featuring the voices of Owen Wilson Owen Cunningham Wilson (born November 18, 1968) is an American actor and writer. Wilson was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the screenplay of The Royal Tenenbaums, but he is perhaps best known for his successful comedic roles such as John Beckwith in , Paul Newman Noun 1. Paul Newman - United States film actor (born in 1925) Newman, Paul Leonard Newman and Bonnie Hunt, ``Cars'' continues a winning streak Noun 1. winning streak - a streak of wins streak, run - an unbroken series of events; "had a streak of bad luck"; "Nicklaus had a run of birdies" for Pixar Animation Studios and Disney that began with 1995's ``Toy Story'' and has extended to seven films. Disney's previous largest June opening was in 1994 when ``The Lion King'' earned $40.9 million. ``Cars'' ranks fourth among all June releases. Still, the film opened a bit below expectations, which had been in the $70 million range, the amount earned by the most two recent Pixar films, ``The Incredibles'' and ``Finding Nemo.'' ``In everybody's world, you try to break records, but this is certainly a home run,'' said Chuck Viane, president of Disney's Buena Vista Distribution
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. is the motion picture and television feature distribution company owned by The Walt Disney Company. division. ``This picture plays so well, ... and we're all thrilled.'' Sometime next weekend, ``Cars'' will become the 50th Disney release to cross the $100 million mark in the studio's history. Its robust opening led to overall box office revenue being up for the fourth weekend in a row and the 11th out of the last 12. The top 12 movies combined to earn $148.8 million, a 7.7 percent increase from the same weekend a year ago, when the movie industry was in the 16th weekend of a record 19-weekend box office slump in which revenue failed to match 2004 levels. Although year-to-date revenue is only 2 percent ahead of last year's level, box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian said Sunday that the movie industry is enjoying a psychological boost from the recent string of hit movies. ``People are feeling positive about moviegoing,'' said Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co. ``We are in a much better place than we were a year ago.'' Opening in limited release, the Picturehouse film ``A Prairie Home Companion'' managed a seventh-place debut with an estimated gross of $4.7 million. Based on Garrison Keillor's radio show of the same name, the film was directed by Robert Altman and stars Keillor, Tommy Lee Jones For the musician, see . Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American actor and director. Biography Early life Jones was born in San Saba, Texas, the son of Clyde C. , Meryl Streep Noun 1. Meryl Streep - United States film actress (born in 1949) Streep , Lily Tomlin Lily Tomlin (born September 01, 1939) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress, comedian, writer and producer. Tomlin's body of work, which has spanned over 40 years, has garnered her several Tony Awards and Emmy Awards, as well as a Grammy Award. , Woody Harrelson and Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan (born July 2 1986) is an American actress and pop music singer. Lohan started in show business as a child fashion model for magazine advertisement and television commercials. , among others. It bowed in 760 locations and had a solid per-screen average of $6,146. ``The movie was a big hit across the country, playing in big cities and small towns as well,'' Picturehouse President Bob Berney said. ``The audience for Garrison really turned out.'' The Universal Pictures release ``The Break-Up,'' starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, was dislodged from first place by ``Cars'' but still enjoyed a solid weekend performance, with estimated ticket sales of $20.5 million. The romantic comedy has earned an impressive $74.1 million in 10 days. ``X-Men: The Last Stand'' took third place by adding $15.5 million more to its total to become the first 2006 release to cross the $200 million mark domestically. ``X-Men'' has earned $201.7 million in 17 days, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. 20th Century Fox, which released the film. The horror remake ``The Omen,'' also a Fox release, took in an estimated $15.4 million over the three days. The film about Satan's offspring, released Tuesday to take advantage of the 6/6/06 date, has taken in $35.7 million so far. Rounding out the top five was the DreamWorks Animation film ``Over the Hedge,'' which took in an estimated $10.3 million and has earned $130.3 million to date. ``Hedge'' could swap places with ``The Da Vinci da Vinci Surgery A surgical robot for performing certain surgeries–eg, mitral valve repair and laparoscopic procedures–eg, cholecystectomy and gastric ulcer repair. See Laparoscopic surgery, Robotics, Surgical robot. Code'' when final numbers are released today since the estimated gross for ``Da Vinci'' was only $1,000 behind the ``Hedge'' total. The religious thriller, released by Sony Pictures Entertainment, has grossed $189 million domestically. greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3758 TOP MOVIES Here are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released today. 1. ``Cars,'' $62.8 million. 2. ``The Break-Up,'' $20.5 million. 3. ``X-Men: The Last Stand,'' $15.55 million. 4. ``The Omen,'' $15.45 million. 5. ``Over the Hedge,'' $10.301 million. 6. ``The Da Vinci Code,'' $10.3 million. 7. ``A Prairie Home Companion,'' $4.7 million. 8. ``Mission: Impossible III,'' $3 million. 9. ``RV,'' $2 million. 10. ``Poseidon,'' $1.8 million. -- Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. CAPTION(S): box Box: TOP MOVIES (see text) |
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