`TITANIC' NOW FOURTH ON ALL-TIME FILM LIST.

Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer

``Titanic'' remained unsinkable at the nation's box office in its eighth weekend with an estimated $23.1 million at 2,956 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period as it cruised past ``Forrest Gump'' into the fourth spot on the all-time list.

The blockbuster has taken in more than $337 million in 52 days. During the weekend, it lost a mere 8 percent of its audience from the previous weekend despite rainy West Coast weather and the start of the Winter Olympics.

The repeat business on ``Titanic'' has been among the best of all time, said analyst Arthur Rockwell of Rockwell Capital Management.

``It is likely to keep playing at this level for at least another month,'' he said.

On Saturday ``Titanic'' went past the $329.4 million domestic total that ``Forrest Gump'' grossed four years ago. A spokesman for Paramount, which is handling domestic distribution, predicted ``Titanic'' will become the third highest domestic grosser next weekend by going past the $356.7 million mark held by 1993's ``Jurassic Park.''

``Titanic,'' which cost Paramount and 20th Century Fox $200 million, should receive a boost from Tuesday's announcement of Academy Award nominations, as it is expected to be named in most key categories.

With little serious competition from new movies for the next several weeks, its overall gross should top ``ET'' at $399.8 million by the end of the month and be near the all-time mark of $461 million for ``Star Wars'' by April.

``Titanic'' has also become a hit overseas for Fox with grosses recently topping $300 million.

Even with its massive production costs and with theater owners keeping half of box office receipts, the studios should each see at least $100 million in profits.

The rest of the slate performed adequately, led by Sony's opening of ``The Replacement Killers,'' starring Mira Sorvino and Asian favorite Chow Yun-Fat with $8.1 million at 1,938 theaters, followed by Miramax's 10th weekend of ``Good Will Hunting,'' with 6.8 million at 2,157 locations, and Universal's debut of ``Blues Brothers 2000'' with $6.5 million at 2,506 screens.

Rockwell said ``The Replacement Killers'' performed in line with expectations, while the ``Blues Brothers'' sequel was a major disappointment that took in barely half of forecasts.

Fox's second weekend of ``Great Expectations'' lost 44 percent of its debut audience and finished fifth with $5.4 million, followed by Sony's seventh weekend of ``As Good as it Gets'' with $5.1 million, its third weekend of ``Spice World'' with $4 million and New Line's seventh weekend of ``Wag the Dog'' with $3.4 million.

``As Good as it Gets'' has gone past $92 million in 47 days and should also be helped in coming weeks by expected multiple Oscar nominations.

Two action films in their second weekends completed the top 10, with disappointing results - Sony's ``Desperate Measures'' with $3 million and Disney's ``Deep Rising'' with $2.4 million.

New Line's limited release of ``Stephen King's The Night Flyer'' was dead on arrival with $92,000 at 95 locations. However October Films' ``The Apostle'' continued to draw well with $910,000 at 110 theaters.

Final figures will be released today.

This week's top 10

Estimated grosses for the top 10 movies at North American theaters for Friday through Sunday:

1. ``Titanic,'' $23.1 million.

2. ``The Replacement Killers,'' $8.1 million.

3. ``Good Will Hunting,'' $6.8 million.

4. ``Blues Brothers 2000,'' $6.5 million.

5. ``Great Expectations,'' $5.4 million.

6. ``As Good As It Gets,'' $5.1 million.

7. ``Spice World,'' $4 million.

8. ``Wag The Dog,'' $3.4 million.

9. ``Desperate Measures,'' $3 million.

10. ``Deep Rising,'' $2.4 million.

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Box: This week's top 10 (see text)