DISNEY - EIGHT BELOW A HOWLING SUCCESS

Disney's top dogs were barking up a storm Tuesday as final box-office figures for the four-day President's Day weekend showed the dogs-in-distress drama Eight Below earning nearly $25 million at the box office, some $10 million more than analysts had expected. The projected winner, Fox's Date Movie came in second with $21.8 million. A third newcomer, Sony/Revolution's Freedomland ended up seventh, with a disappointing $6.7 million.

The top ten films over the four-day President's Day weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):
1. Eight Below, Disney, $24,968,601, (New); 2. Date Movie, 20th Century Fox, $21,812,384, (New); 3. The Pink Panther, Sony, $20,863,217, 2 Wks. ($46,548,715); 4. Curious George, Universal, $15,367,950, 2 Wks. ($33,523,265); 5. Final Destination 3, New Line, $11,538,251, 2 Wks. ($37,253,197); 6. Firewall, Warner Bros., $10,382,241, 2 Wks. ($28,700,754); 7. Freedomland, Sony, $6,707,111, (New); 8. When a Stranger Calls, Sony, $5,824,394, 3 Wks. ($42,102,350); 9. Big Momma's House 2, 20th Century Fox, $5,574,090, 4 Wks. ($62,459,610); 10. Nanny McPhee, Universal, $5,102,555, 4 Wks. ($39,251,465).

22/02/2006