HOLLYWOOD - Thanks to Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, which held on to the top spot at the box office this weekend, and Spider-Man, which remained in its No. 2 position, overall ticket sales for Memorial Day weekend topped $200 million for the first time.According to studio estimates issued Monday, the holiday weekend eclipsed last year's record of $186.1 million, with the top 12 films grossing $193.5 million from Friday through Monday.
However, Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations, told The Associated Press the overall box office should come in at about $202 million once final numbers are in for all movies later this week.
For the four days beginning May 24, Clones took in $61.2 million, pushing its 12-day total to $202.5 million.
Spider-Man raked in $36.5 million, pushing its cumulative 25-day total to $334.3 million. The superhero action pic, which set a record for the film quickest to reach the $200 million mark earlier this month, also passed the $300 million point in a groundbreaking 22 days.
A handful of newcomers helped round out the top five, including Insomnia, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Enough.
Al Pacino's thriller Insomnia arrived in third place, pulling in $26.2 million--more than $5 million more than Warner Bros. had estimated in its three-day gross.
Spirit, DreamWorks' traditional animated feature, earned $23 million. The film, with its $80 million production price tag, is expected to gain momentum as school lets out for summer.
Sony's Enough eked by with $17.5 million. In the film, Jennifer Lopez stars as an abused mother trying to escape a dangerous relationship.
Miramax's limited release The Importance of Being Earnest made a solid $470,000 in just 38 theaters, while United Artist's CQ debuted in seven theaters in New York and Los Angeles with a modest $56,000.
Here is a roundup of the top 10:
1. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, $61.2 million
2. Spider-Man, $36.5 million
3. Insomnia, $26.2 million
4. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, $23 million
5. Enough, $17.5 million
6. About a Boy, $10 million
7. Unfaithful, $7.7 million
8. The New Guy, $5.5 million
9. Changing Lanes, $2 million
10.The Scorpion King, $1.9 million