`PHANTOM MENACE' SETS RECORD AT BOX, DISAPPOINTS FORECASTERS.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer The Force continues to deliver mixed signals by dominating business at the nation's multiplexes but falling well short of sky-high expectations. ``Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace'' obliterated 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 competition with an estimated $61.8 million at 2,970 theaters during Friday-Sunday, pushing its five-day total to $103.6 million, studio sources said Sunday. It became the first film to top $100 million in five days, but it also came nowhere close to beating the $72.1 million mark for best Friday-Sunday set by ``The Lost World: Jurassic Park'' two years ago. ``The numbers for `Phantom Menace' are at the lower end of forecasts, but it's still an incredible performance, and it's going to make a ton of money,'' said movie analyst Arthur Rockwell. ``The big question mark now is whether it has the legs to carry through for the good part of the summer. To achieve that, it needs to do $300 million, and I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if it will.'' The fourth installment in George Lucas' saga, set 30 years before the original ``Star Wars,'' took in $28.5 million on Wednesday, $13.2 million on Thursday, $18.4 million on Friday, $24.2 million on Saturday and a projected $19.2 million on Sunday. Wednesday's figure set a record for best single-day gross, and Saturday's was the fourth-highest after the second and third days of ``Lost World.'' ``Everyone is flying high because those are huge numbers,'' said Tom Sherak, 20th Century Fox's distribution chief. Fox has distributed all the ``Star Wars'' films, which have now grossed over $1.1 billion domestically. Sherak said Lucas had chosen to open on a Wednesday prior to a non-holiday weekend to make certain fans would see the film well before the coming Memorial Day weekend. ``This has never been about setting records,'' Sherak added. ``We opened it when we did so fans could see it first and families could get in on the weekends. Had we opened on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, it would have broken every record.'' But the inescapable fact is that ``Phantom Menace'' has little chance of matching the $601 million domestic record total set last year by ``Titanic Titanic (tītăn`ĭk), British liner that sank on the night of Apr. 14–15, 1912, after crashing into an iceberg in the N Atlantic S of Newfoundland. More than 1,500 lives were lost. .'' More realistically, it is headed toward joining the all-time top 10 list, which includes ``Star Wars'' in second place with $460.9 million, ``Return of the Jedi'' in seventh at $309.1 million and ``The Empire Strikes Back'' in ninth with $290.2 million. Robert Bucksbaum, president of the Reel Source forecasting service, cut his final-gross prediction to $300 million from $375 million and cited the difficulty it faces in attracting an audience outside the core fan group of males between the ages of 10 to 25. ``The polls we're doing show a favorable fa·vor·a·ble adj. 1. Advantageous; helpful: favorable winds. 2. Encouraging; propitious: a favorable diagnosis. 3. rating of 70 percent, which is pretty good, but may not be enough to draw a significant cross-over audience,'' Bucksbaum said. ``There are still a lot of adults who want to see it but don't want to wait in line for a couple of hours.'' Bucksbaum said ``Phantom Menace'' will likely draw about $50 million over the Friday-Monday Memorial Day holiday, traditionally one of the heaviest moviegoing periods of the year. ``Lost World'' drew over $90 million during the same four days in 1997 and topped $100 million in six days. The analyst said the long-term prospects for ``Phantom Menace'' have dimmed dim adj. dim·mer, dim·mest 1. a. Lacking in brightness: a dim room. b. Emitting only a small amount of light; faint: a dim lightbulb. somewhat because children may find the story line too complex while adults may see little appeal to the digitally created Jar Jar Binks Jar Jar Binks (born c. 50 BBY) is a fictional character from the Star Wars Prequels, , and . Named by George Lucas' son[1], his primary role was intended to provide comic relief — based on his gangly way of walking and his unique accent — but he ended up character, who speaks in broken English. ``I think Lucas may have been trying to appeal to all audiences and that's difficult to do,'' he added. Rockwell said Fox will need to increase its advertising push for ``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 ,'' which has been relatively light for a major release. ``I think it's going to take some work, given the film's lukewarm luke·warm adj. 1. Mildly warm; tepid. 2. Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent: gave only lukewarm support to the incumbent candidate. reviews,'' he added. ``You have to hit a little harder with TV ads to make sure that it's the 1,000-pound gorilla gorilla, an ape, Gorilla gorilla, native to the lowland and mountain forests of western and central equatorial Africa. It is the largest of the apes, the males reaching a height of 5 to 6 ft (150–190 cm) with a 9-ft (144–cm) arm spread. .'' ``Phantom Menace'' had the advantage of launching without significant competition with only one other opening - DreamWorks' romantic comedy ``The Love Letter,'' which finished fifth with a moderate $2.6 million at 769 theaters. By far the strongest alternative choice for moviegoers faced with long lines In communications, circuits that are capable of handling transmissions over long distances. and sold-out shows for ``Phantom Menace'' was Universal's third weekend of action-adventure ``The Mummy'' with $13.1 million at 3,270 theaters to push its 17-day total to $99.5 million. ``The Mummy mummy, dead human or animal body preserved by embalming or by unusual natural conditions. As a rule mummies are from ancient times. The word is of Arabic derivation and refers primarily to the burials found in Egypt, where the practice of mummification was perfected ,'' set in 1926 Egypt, will likely join ``The Matrix,'' ``Analyze This'' and ``Phantom Menace'' today or Tuesday as the fourth 1999 release and 184th overall to top $100 million. Finishing a distant third was Fox's fourth weekend of ``Entrapment'' with a respectable $5.8 million at 2,877 theaters, followed by Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .' eighth weekend of ``The Matrix'' with $2.9 million at 2,521 sites. The science-fiction hit has topped the $149 million mark after 54 days, making it the 61st-highest domestic grosser ever, passing ``Gremlins.'' ``The Love Letter'' with $2.6 million, starring Kate Capshaw, edged Fox Searchlight's second weekend of ``A Midsummer Night's Dream'' with $2.5 million at 1,092 theaters. Both projects were aimed at drawing the older female audience, the least likely sector to see ``Phantom Menace.'' A quartet of holdovers were battling for seventh place, led by Fox's seventh weekend of ``Never Been Kissed'' with $1.6 million at 1,892 theaters, followed by Artisan's second weekend of ``Black Mask'' with $1.53 million at 988 theaters, Universal's sixth weekend of ``Life'' with $1.5 million at 880 screens and Paramount's fifth weekend of ``Election'' with $1.4 million at 827 sites. MGM's second weekend of ``Tea With Mussolini'' took 11th with $1.3 million at 272 theaters. ``Phantom Menace'' may face more formidable competition next weekend from Universal's opening of ``Notting Hill,'' a romantic comedy with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, as reaction from critics and sneak preview sneak preview n. A single public showing of a movie before its general release. Noun 1. sneak preview - a preview to test audience reactions audiences has been enthusiastic. Sony has also slotted sci-fi horror project ``The Thirteenth Floor'' to open Friday. ``The Phantom Menace'' will likely remain in first, however, until New Line opens ``Austin Powers II: The Spy Who Shagged shag 1 n. 1. A tangle or mass, especially of rough matted hair. 2. a. A coarse long nap, as on a woolen cloth. b. Cloth having such a nap. 3. A rug with a thick rough pile. Me'' on June 11 with the sequel expected to generate solid business among teens and young adults. ``We don't think there's any doubt that `Austin Powers' will be No. 1 that weekend,'' Bucksbaum said. Final results for the Friday-Sunday period will be released today. 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. ``Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace,'' $61.8 million. 2. ``The Mummy,'' $13.1 million. 3. ``Entrapment entrapment, in law, the instigation of a crime in the attempt to obtain cause for a criminal prosecution. Situations in which a government operative merely provides the occasion for the commission of a criminal act (e.g. ,'' $5.8 million. 4. ``The Matrix,'' $2.9 million. 5. ``The Love Letter,'' $2.6 million. 6. ``A Midsummer Night's Dream A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare written sometime in the 1590s. It portrays the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with the Duke and Duchess of Athens, Theseus and Hippolyta, and ,'' $2.5 million. 7. ``Never Been Kissed Never Been Kissed is a 1999 comedy directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Molly Shannon, Leelee Sobieski, John C. Reilly, Jessica Alba, Marley Shelton, James Franco, Giuseppe Andrews, Jeremy Jordan and Garry Marshall. ,'' $1.6 million. 8. ``Black Mask,'' $1.53 million. 9. ``Life,'' $1.5 million. 10. ``Election,'' $1.4 million. CAPTION(S): box Box: Top movies (see text) |
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