HOLLYWOOD - Moviegoers got caught up in Spider-Man 2’s web this holiday weekend. The comic book actioner took in an unprecedented $180.1 million in its first six days of release, making this the best ever Fourth of July holiday weekend at the box office.Spider-Man 2’s total was enough to defeat the previous record-holder, The Matrix Reloaded, which grossed $146.9 million when it opened in May 15, 2003. It also took in more than the original Spider-Man, which had pulled in $144.2 million over its first six days of release when it hit theaters May 3, 2002—a non-holiday weekend.
Two years ago, Spider-Man opened with a record-breaking $114.8 million in its first three-day weekend. In comparison, Spider-Man 2 earned $88.3 million for the three-day period from Friday to Sunday, but sales from the Monday holiday drove its four-day total to an estimated $115.8 million.
Filmmaker Michael Moore’s anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, last week’s box office champ, didn’t lose too much steam in its second week, coming in second with a four-day take of $21 million.
The animated feature Shrek 2, meanwhile, came in at No. 7 with $7.9 million, making it the fifth highest grossing film of all time, beating Spider-Man’s $404 million haul.
This weekend, the Top 12 films grossed $158.4 million, up 14.43 percent for last weekend’s $138.4 million, and up $25.01 percent for last year, when they grossed $126.7 million.
The top three films at the box office this time last year were: Warner Bros.’ R rated actioner Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines debuted at No. 1 with $44 million in 3,504 theater with a $12,569 per theater average; MGM’s PG-13 rated comedy Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blue came in second with s$22.2 million at 2,250 theaters with a $6,633 per theater average; and Sony's PG-13 rated Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle came in at No. 3 with $14 million in 3,485 theaters, averaging $4,020 per theater.
BOX OFFICE TOP 10, ESTIMATES: (Source: Exhibitor Relations, Inc.)
(Note: Percentage change reflects the three-day period from Friday to Sunday (F-S-S-M) vs. three-day frame last weekend, while rank and per theater average are based on the four-day grosses.)
No. 1: Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures, PG-13)
• Gross: $88.3 million (opened Wed.)
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 4,152
• Per-theater average: $27,890
• F-S-S-M: $115.8 million
• Cume to date: $180 million
No. 2: Fahrenheit 9/11 (Lions Gate, IFC Films; R)
• Gross: $16.4 million (-31%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 1,725 (+857)
• Per-theater average: $12,174
• F-S-S-M: $21 million
• Cume to date: $60.1 million
No. 3: White Chicks (Sony Pictures, PG-13)
• Gross: $9.1 million (-54%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,800 (+74)
• Per-theater average: $4,286
• F-S-S-M: $12 million
• Cume to date: $47.1 million
No. 4: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (20th Century Fox, PG-13)
• Gross: $8 million (-57%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,953 (-67)
• Per-theater average: $3,539
• F-S-S-M: $10.4 million
• Cume to date: $86.7 million
No. 5: The Notebook (New Line Cinema, PG-13)
• Gross: $7.3 million (-45%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,323 (+20)
• Per-theater average: $4,445
• Cume to date: $31.6 million
No. 6: The Terminal (DreamWorks, PG-13)
• Gross: $7.9 million (-40%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 2,782 (-132)
• Per-theater average: $3,666
• F-S-S-M: $10.2 million
• Cume to date: $56.7 million
No. 7: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros., PG)
• Gross: $5.9 million (-47%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 2,725 (-679)
• Per-theater average: $2,985
• F-S-S-M: $8.1 million
• Cume to date: $225.3 million
No. 8: Shrek 2 (Dreamworks, PG)
• Gross: $5.8 million (-43%)
• Weeks opened: 7
• Theaters: 2,609 (-328)
• F-S-S-M: $7.9 million
• Per-theater average: $3,028
• F-S-S-M: $7.9 million
• Cume to date: $410.2 million
No. 9: Garfield (20th Century Fox, PG)
• Gross: $3.6 million (-64%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 2,458 (-422)
• Per-theater average: $1,465
• F-S-S-M: $3.6 million
• Cume to date: $63.5 million
No. 10: Two Brothers (Universal Pictures, PG)
• Gross: $2.6 million (-58%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,181 (+6)
• F-S-S-M: $3.6 million
• Per-theater average: $1,651
OTHER OPENINGS
The Clearing (Fox Searchlight)
• Gross: $466,365
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 56
• Per-theater average: $11,555
• F-S-S-M: $647,098 million
De-Lovely (MGM)
• Gross: $292,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 15
• Per-theater average: $25,600
• F-S-S-M: $384,000 million
America’s Heart and Soul (Buena Vista)
• Gross: $131,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 98
• Per-theater average: $1,765
• F-S-S-M: $173,000 million