HOLLYWOOD - Pouring $270 million into a trilogy made back-to-back shooting seemed like a risk when director Peter Jackson first embarked on his quest to film The Lord of the Rings trilogy.Filming began two years ago. On Wednesday, the wait for one of the year's most anticipated blockbusters-to-be came to an end as the first of the three films stormed into 3,359 theaters and 5,700 screens.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring earned $18.2 million in its first day, no doubt driven by a huge turnout by hardcore fans of the book. This is an early indication that New Line's costly investment in the adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga of sword and sorcery should pay off handsomely. The film did not break the opening day record of $28.5 million, which is held by Star Wars: Episode 1-The Phantom Menace, but enjoyed the third best Wednesday opening behind The Phantom Menace and Jurassic Park III ($19 million).
With the malls crammed with last-minute present seekers, the weekend before Christmas is not known for its record-setting box office. Hence The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring won't pose a serious challenge to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone recent record-breaking opening of $90 million.
Also, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring faces fierce competition from four new wide releases and a rush of Oscar contenders now hitting a handful of theaters. But The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring should still enjoy the largest December opening in history, an honor that currently belongs to Ocean's Eleven at $38.1 million.
Rolf Wittweg, New Line's worldwide president of marketing and distribution, predicts $60 million in five days. That seems an obtainable goal. And, at the end of the day, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring should surpass Rush Hour 2's $226.1 million total to become New Line's biggest grossing film.
Excellent reviews, and its Golden Globe nominations, also should allow The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring to dominate the box office through the remainder of the Christmas holidays and well into January. This is not a film that will make most of its money in two or three weekends-as did Harry Potter--but one that could enjoy a long and healthy life a la Titanic.
This means a mad scramble to claim the runner-up position.
The Majestic, with Jim Carrey as a 1950s blacklisted screenwriter suffering from a loss of memory, looks likely to trump Joe Somebody, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and How High.