received two Oscar nominations, expanded in its ninth week with an okay ESTIMATED $2.0 million (-27%) at 553 theaters (+80 theaters; $3,615 per theater). Its cume is approximately $10.7 million.
Directed by Marc Forster, it stars Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger and Peter Boyle.
Miramax's R rated romantic comedy Italian for Beginners widened in its sixth week to a hopeful ESTIMATED $0.35 million at 56 theaters (+34 theaters; $6,160 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.1 million.
Directed by Lone Scherfig, it stars Anders Berthelsen.
INTERNATIONAL
Universal's international division reported that A Beautiful Mind opened in 10 more countries this weekend, including the U.K., Spain and Argentina. The Universal/ DreamWorks co-production from Imagine Entertainment is being distributed internationally by UIP for DreamWorks. Universal is releasing the film domestically.
In the U.K. Mind opened with a platform release of 22 playdates, grossing $0.18 million for two days. The film expands to a wide release at approximately 300 theaters next week.
In Spain, Mind grossed $0.83 million on 200
playdates. It ranked second to Monsters, Inc. in its second weekend with $1.1 million on 300 playdates, and was ahead of the opening of Black Hawk Down with $0.45 million at 270 theaters.
In Argentina, Mind grossed $0.18 million on 50 playdates and ranked third, just behind Lord of the Rings with $0.19 million on 100 playdates.
In its second weekend in Brazil, Mind was second to the opening of Ocean's Eleven. Mind grossed an estimated $0.37 on 175 playdates, bringing its cume for 9 days to $1.5 million.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 -- took in approximately $106.11 million, up about 26.69 percent from last year when they totaled $83.75 million.
Key films for this three day weekend cannot be compared to the previous weekend of this year, which was a four day holiday weekend.
Last year, MGM's third week of Hannibal was first with $15.77 million at 3,292 theaters ($4,789 per theater); and Paramount's second week of Down to Earth was second with $11.21 million at 2,521 theaters ($4,447 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $27.0 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $27.7 million.