 |
| Home | Awards | Contributors | Site Map |
| Page Design,Layout & Original Art Copyright ©2000-2001 Helen Smark |
| Moviegoers elected "Hannibal" to another term in first place over the four-day Presidents weekend. The R-rated thriller from MGM and Universal in association with Dino De Laurentiis held on to the top spot with a sizzling estimated $36.5 million (-40%) at 3,238 theaters (+8 theaters; $11,272 per theater). Its cume is approximately $110.4 million. (All of today's weekend estimates are for four days. For the three-day period Friday through Sunday, MGM estimated "Hannibal" at $30.0 million.) "Hannibal" had the highest per-theater average for any film playing last weekend. "It's down 40% for the four days and we were looking for 35-40%, so it's pretty damn good," MGM worldwide distribution president Larry Gleason said Sunday morning. "I think $200 million's in the bag now." In its international release through Universal, "Hannibal" opened Friday in the U.K. (via UIP) to very strong first place business. Universal said Sunday morning that it estimated the film's weekend gross at $9-9.5 million, making it the biggest opening ever in the U.K. for UIP, the international distribution company in which Universal and Paramount are partners. "Hannibal" also opened in first place in Australia last Thursday with an estimated $2.5 million. In Germany, where it also opened Thursday (via Tobis Studiocanal), it was number one with an estimated $6.3 million, making it the biggest opening in that territory for an R-rated film. "Hannibal" also opened the previous weekend in Italy (via Filmauro) and has taken in an impressive estimated $9.5 million to date. Driven by "Hannibal," the domestic marketplace expanded significantly for the four days, setting a new record for Presidents weekend of about $147 million. Gleason noted that business was very strong and up sharply from last year (up about 16% from $126.3 million a year ago). While "Hannibal" was clearly the weekend's blockbuster success story, he pointed out that, "The three Academy (best picture nominees) -- 'Traffic', 'Crouching Tiger' and 'Chocolat' -- all picked up nicely." "Hannibal's" 1991 predecessor film "The Silence of the Lambs" grossed $130.7 million in its domestic release via Orion Pictures and did about $142 million in international theaters. Directed by Ridley Scott and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis and Ridley Scott, "Hannibal" stars Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore. Its screenplay by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian is based on the novel by Thomas Harris. |
| Box-Office Report for Hannibal |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |