`EMPIRE' STRIKES WITH $9 MILLION.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer Moviegoers came out in force Friday for the revamped version of ``The Empire Strike Back,'' with a preliminary industry estimate of about $9 million at 2,110 theaters nationwide. The first-day take could give ``Empire,'' originally released in 1980, a Friday-Sunday total between $23 million and $25 million. That is about 30 percent to 33 percent less than the $35.9 million opening weekend for ``Star Wars,'' three weeks ago, but still impressive during what is traditionally a slow period for films. Producer George Lucas Noun 1. George Lucas - United States screenwriter and filmmaker (born in 1944) Lucas added several new scenes and enhanced several others for ``Empire,'' including the battle on the planet Hoth and more screen time for villain VILLAIN., An epithet used to cast contempt and contumely on the person to whom it is applied. 2. To call a man a villain in a letter written to a third person, will entitle him to an action without proof of special damages. 1 Bos. & Pull. 331. Darth Vader Darth Vader fallen Jedi Knight has turned to evil. [Am. Cinema: Star Wars] See : Evil . However, the retooling was far less than for the new version of ``Star Wars.'' Twentieth Century Fox will re-release ``Return of the Jedi,'' the third part of the Lucas trilogy A company founded in 1979 by Gene Amdahl to commercialize wafer scale integration and build supercomputers. It raised a quarter of a billion dollars, the largest startup funding in history, but could not create its 2.5" superchip. on March 7, giving fans a chance to fulfill the longtime fantasy of viewing all three in a single day. ``Star Wars,'' now at 2,168 screens, tacked on more than $3 million Friday and should finish the weekend with about $11 million to push its 24-day total to $116 million. With its original $322 million gross, its overall total should hit $438 million by Sunday night Sunday Night, later named Michelob Presents Night Music, was an NBC late-night television show which aired for two seasons between 1988 and 1990 as a showcase for jazz and eclectic musical artists. . Many critics regard ``Empire'' as both the darkest episode and the most visually impressive of the trio. Its 1980 box office total was $223 million, significantly below the $322 million for ``Star Wars,'' and the $263 million for ``Jedi,'' but still the 14th highest domestic total ever. By the end of the weekend, it will have moved past ``Raiders of the Lost Ark,'' ``Twister'' and ``Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. Cop'' to the 11th spot, just behind ``Batman'' at $251 million. |
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