HOLLYWOOD - Hollywood saw sizzling summer-like business in mid-January as moviegoers applauded a wide range of new films.Ticket sales were up sharply over last year as Black Hawk Down continued to soar like an eagle atop the chart with $18.2 million and the next five films all enjoyed double digit grosses.
The box office was driven by Hollywood having something in theaters this weekend to appeal to virtually all moviegoers. There was a lively kick off for A Walk To Remember (teenage girls and Christian youth groups), a better than prophesized launch for The Mothman Prophecies (supernatural thriller fans, especially males) and a dashing debut for The Count of Monte Cristo (male and female action adventure fans). Moreover, Snow Dogs (families) continued to run hard and fast and A Beautiful Mind (adults and awards driven audiences) had a truly beautiful hold.
Key films--those grossing $500,000 or more--took in nearly $131 million, up almost 42 percent from last year's total of $92.1 million. The weekend's strength came despite major competition on Sunday from two televised football playoff games.
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Revolution Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Films' R rated drama Black Hawk Down held on to first place in its fifth week of release via Columbia Pictures with a still commanding ESTIMATED $18.2 million (-36%) at 3,101 theaters (theater count unchanged; $5,869 per theater). Its cume is approximately $60.1 million, heading for at least $120 million and quite possibly more than that if it does with Oscar nominations Feb. 12.
Directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Josh Hartnett.
"Clearly, it's heading to a very exciting place," Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide marketing & distribution president Jeff Blake said Sunday morning. "We've had several goals on the picture. One was to get it noticed in limited release and get the word of mouth started. And that went well. Then it was to open it wide on a holiday weekend and it certainly passed that test with flying colors, having a record Martin Luther King weekend last weekend. And the next goal was a good solid hold and I think down 36 percent off a holiday weekend and still number one certainly accomplishes that goal.
"I think as we look ahead we feel very good about the weeks to come. It's a quality picture that I think there's great word of mouth on. Probably our next goal and hope will be that perhaps we'll continue to get the kind of recognition the picture has been getting. Much like we got the Directors Guild nomination this week for Ridley Scott, we certainly would like to have the film recognized in that regard (with Oscar nominations). I think its commercial run is well in place and if we continue to get the kind of critical response we're getting and the awards consideration we're getting, it's going to be very hard to put a number on (where it's going) at this point. Much like what happened to Traffic last year and to other films and seemingly is happening, to their credit, to Beautiful Mind, it kind of takes on a life of its own. And certainly, I guess, our next goal is to have the combination of commercial success and artistic recognition that would allow us (with) both to kind of have a multiplier effect on what the (domestic theatrical) number might be."