`STUART LITTLE' TAKES CHEESE AT BOX OFFICE; FILM COULD TAKE IN $100 MILLION.Byline: Dave McNary Staff Writer ``Stuart Little'' scored at the nation's multiplexes as the family-oriented comedy led a moderate weekend with an estimated $15.4 million at 2,878 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period, studio sources said Sunday. Sony's opening weekend of ``Stuart,'' based on the classic children's book about a talking mouse who finds a home with a human family, performed above expectations in the difficult-to-predict market for children and their parents. Its near-term prospects appear strong, given that schools will be out for the next two weeks over Christmas and New Year's Day New Year's Day, among ancient peoples the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal or autumnal equinox, or to the summer or winter solstice. In the Middle Ages it was celebrated among Christians usually on Mar. 25. . ``This weekend should put us on the road to $100 million,'' said studio spokesman Ed Russell. ``We are drawing lots of families of all ages.'' Russell noted that grosses for ``Stuart'' jumped from $3.7 million Friday to $6.4 million on Saturday, indicating strong word-of-mouth among the target audience. Robert Bucksbaum, president of the Reel Source tracking service, credited Sony with a solid marketing campaign. ``The awareness of `Stuart Little' skyrocketed during the past week,'' he noted. ``It's in a good position to do very well on the next two weekends.'' Industry tracker Arthur Rockwell said ``Stuart Little'' represents a strong rebound for Sony following a year that saw success only from ``Big Daddy'' and `Blue Streak blue streak n. Informal 1. Something moving very fast. 2. A rapid and seemingly interminable stream of words: curse a blue streak. .'' ``Sony has to be very happy about it,'' he added. Sony spent a reported $90 million on ``Stuart Little,'' with a significant chunk used to create a computer-generated mouse with life-like expressions and movements. Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .' second weekend of ``The Green Mile'' held up well in second with $12.6 million at 2,875 theaters as the prison drama dropped only 30 percent from its opening. It edged Disney's fifth weekend of mega-hit ``Toy Story 2'' with $12.1 million at 3,228 theaters as the sequel fell just 32 percent from the previous weekend to move its total past $153 million. ``Toy Story 2'' has eclipsed ``The Sting'' for 61st place on the all-time domestic gross list and has an excellent chance of becoming the 29th film to top $200 million. Two other Disney films were battling for fourth - the second weekend of ``Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'' with $8.3 million at 2,162 theaters and the opening of ``Bicentennial bi·cen·ten·ni·al adj. 1. Happening once every 200 years. 2. Lasting for 200 years. 3. Relating to a 200th anniversary. n. A 200th anniversary or its celebration. Also called bicentenary. Man,'' a comedy-fantasy starring Robin Williams as a robot who assumes human form, with $8.29 million at 2,518 sites. The return for ``Bicentennial Man'' came in below expectations, given Williams' track record in hit comedies such as ``Mrs. Doubtfire'' and ``Patch Adams.'' ``This one just did not have the vibe of a very successful film,'' Rockwell said. ``People want to see Robin Williams in the same kind of vehicle as his other hits.'' The weekend's other major opening, 20th Century Fox's drama-romance ``Anna and the King,'' generated disappointing results in sixth with $5.1 million at 2,134 theaters despite mostly favorable reviews. The project, starring Jodie Foster Alicia Christian Foster (born November 19 1962), better known as Jodie Foster, is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress, director, and producer. She has also won two Golden Globes, 3 BAFTA awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award, making her one of the few select and Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-Fat (Traditional Chinese: 周潤發; Simplified Chinese: , re-creates school teacher Anna Leonowens' story of teaching the 58 children of the king of Siam, but lacks the music and dancing of the 1956 hit ``The King and I.'' Bucksbaum said that ``Anna'' could still generate respectable business in Middle America Middle America 1 A region of southern North America comprising Mexico, Central America, and sometimes the West Indies. Middle American adj. & n. markets due to strong moviegoer mov·ie·go·er n. One who goes to see movies. mov  ie·go ing adj. response and the probability of multiple Academy Award nominations.
``Family films can do excellent business at this time of year,'' he added, noting that 1997's ``Mouse Hunt'' took in only $6.1 on its opening weekend but eventually topped $61 million. November holdovers took the last four slots of the top 10, led by MGM's fifth weekend of ``The World Is Not Enough'' with $4 million at 2,625 theaters to push its 31-day total past $105 million. Paramount's fifth weekend of ``Sleepy Hollow'' followed in eighth with $3 million at 2,564 sites to hit nearly $86 million and edge Universal's fourth weekend of ``End of Days'' with $2.9 million at 2,460 locations. Universal's seventh weekend of ``Bone Collector'' finished a distant 10th with $1 million at 1,115 theaters. New Line's opening of critical favorite ``Magnolia Magnolia, city, United States Magnolia (măgnō`lyə), city (1990 pop. 11,151), seat of Columbia co., SW Ark.; inc. 1855. Its oil industry has been important since 1938. ,'' an ensemble drama starring Tom Cruise and based in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , drew exceptionally well with $180,000 at seven theaters. USA Films' debut of ``Topsy Turvy,'' which recently was named best 1999 film by the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of film critics, also generated strong business with $29,000 at two screens, as did Miramax's expanded run of ``The Cider House A cider house is an establishment, often little more than a room in a farmhouse or cottage, selling cider only, for consumption on the premises. The cider sold is usually brewed on the premises, from apples grown in a local cider orchard. Rules'' with $350,000 at 37 theaters. Overall business totaled about $80 million, up 4 percent from the same period last year, as 1999's box office remained on track to set a new record at $7.5 billion, up 8 percent over 1998. TOP 10 MOVIES Following are weekend box office estimates. 1. ``Stuart Little,'' $15.4 million. 2. ``The Green Mile,'' $12.6 million. 3. ``Toy Story 2,'' $12.1 million. 4. ``Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo gig·o·lo n. pl. gig·o·los 1. A man who has a continuing sexual relationship with and receives financial support from a woman. 2. A man who is hired as an escort or a dancing partner for a woman. ,'' $8.3 million. 5. ``Bicentennial Man,'' $8.29 million. 6. ``Anna and the King,'' $5.1 million. 7. ``The World is Not Enough,'' $4 million. 8. ``Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow out-of-the-way, old-world village on Hudson. [Am. Lit.: “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in Benét, 575] See : Isolation ,'' $3 million. 9. ``End of Days,'' $2.9 million. 10. ``The Bone Collector,'' $1 million. CAPTION(S): Box Box: TOP 10 MOVIES (See text) |
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