`RUGRATS' PLAYS TO TOP RUNG AT BOX OFFICE.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer The opening of ``The Rugrats Movie'' scooted to an impressive victory at the nation's multiplexes with $28 million at 2,782 theaters to dominate a robust weekend at the nation's box office during Friday-Sunday, studio sources said Sunday. The results gave Paramount's family comedy a record opening for a non-Disney animated film, shattering the $20.3 million mark set two years ago by ``Beavis & Butt-head Do America.'' ``We're ecstatic ec·stat·ic adj. 1. Marked by or expressing ecstasy. 2. Being in a state of ecstasy; joyful or enraptured. [French extatique, from Greek ekstatikos, from ,'' said studio distribution chief Wayne Lewellen. ``It's well beyond what we expected. To do this level of business, `Rugrats' had to expand well beyond kids and parents.'' The $25 million project, centered on the arrival of a baby to the Pickles Pickles may refer to
prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Robert Bucksbaum, president of the Reel Source forecasting service. ``The TV series has been on the air since the early '90s, so there were a lot of teen-agers who went to this movie,'' he added. Analyst Arthur Rockwell of Drake drake 1. male duck. 2. loliumtemulentum. & Co. said ``Rugrats'' exemplifies Hollywood's ``narrow-casting'' approach of backing projects targeted toward a specific audience. ``The risk is negligible and if you do it right, you get a good cross-over at the box office,'' he added. Disney's ``Enemy of the State,'' starring Will Smith as an innocent man pursued by government agents, opened solidly in second with $20.3 million at 2,393 theaters. Bucksbaum said Disney made a smart move to highlight the comic aspects of the thriller thrill·er n. One that thrills, especially a sensational or suspenseful book, story, play, or movie. thriller Noun in its promotional campaign, noting, ``People are in the mood for comedy now.'' Disney also scored respectable returns for its third weekend of ``The Waterboy'' with $15.8 million at 2,689 screens. The Adam Sandler comedy ended Sunday with $100.3 million after 17 days, becoming the 11th film this year and the 177th in history to hit $100 million in domestic grosses. Additionally, Disney's one-screen opening of ``A Bug's Life'' at the El Capitan El Cap·i·tan A peak, 2,308.5 m (7,569 ft) high, in the Sierra Nevada of central California. Its dramatic exposed monolith rises some 1,098 m (3,600 ft) above the floor of the Yosemite Valley. Theatre in Hollywood sold out every show and took in $291,000, topping by $17,000 the venue's weekend record set in 1995 by ``Toy Story.'' ``A Bug's Life,'' which has received excellent reviews, will go into 2,600 theaters Wednesday and Disney marketing executive Chuck Viane noted the studio is well-positioned with a trio of attractive offerings to take advantage of heavy moviegoing during the Thanksgiving Thanksgiving annual U.S. holiday celebrating harvest and yearly blessings; originated with Pilgrims (1621). [Am. Culture: EB, IX: 922] See : America Thanksgiving national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. holiday. ``We think the upcoming period will be a record-setter for the industry,'' he said. Also opening Wednesday will be Universal's ``Babe Babe Paul Bunyan’s blue ox; straightens roads by pulling them. [Am. Lit.: Fisher, 270] See : Strength : Pig in the City'' and a pair of comedy-dramas: Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .' ``Home Fries'' with Drew Barrymore and PolyGram's ``Very Bad Things'' with Cameron Diaz. Strong performance by the weekend's top three films held down results for two entries in their second weekends - Universal's high-priced drama ``Meet Joe Black'' and Sony's ``I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.'' Top movies Here are estimated grosses at North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. theaters for Friday through Sunday: 1. ``The Rugrats Movie,'' $28 million. 2. ``Enemy of the State,'' $20.3 million. 3. ``The Waterboy,'' $15.8 million. 4. ``Meet Joe Black,'' $8.6 million. 5. ``I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,'' $7.2 million. 6. ``The Siege,'' $3.5 million. 7. ``I'll Be Home for Christmas,'' $2.5 million. 8. ``Pleasantville,'' $2.4 million. 9. ``Antz,'' $2.3 million. 10. ``Celebrity,'' $1.6 million. CAPTION(S): box Box: Top movies (see text) |
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