DISNEY - 10,000 BC OPENING: MORE WOOLLY THAN MAMMOTH

Ordinarily a film that collects more than $35 million over its opening weekend is considered a smash hit. Not so in the case of Warner Bros.' 10,000 B.C., which many analysts claimed had an outside chance of setting a March record, beating last year's 300. As things turned out, however, 10,000 B.C. wound up with $35.9 million, about half of 300's opening take. Nevertheless, Warner Bros. executives expressed satisfaction with the result, pointing out that it exceeded their own prediction of $30 million. Moreover, the film performed strongly in its first roll-out overseas, where it took in $25.3 million in 20 countries. The real disappointment, analysts said, was the continued dreadful performance of New Line's Semi-Pro. Opening well below expectations last weekend, the movie's ticket sales dribbled down to just $5.8 million, dropping it to fifth place in its second weekend.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):
1. 10,000 B.C., Warner Bros., $35,867,488, (New); 2. College Road Trip, Disney, $13,601,419, (New); 3. Vantage Point, Sony Pictures, $7,356,236, 3 Wks. ($51,536,985); 4. The Bank Job, Lionsgate, $5,935,256, (New); 5. Semi-Pro, New Line, $5,786,032, 2 Wks. ($24,721,340); 6. The Spiderwick Chronicles, Paramount, $4,712,945, 4 Wks. ($61,633,488); 7. The Other Boleyn Girl, Sony Pictures, $4,048,026, 2 Wks. ($14,660,260); 8. Jumper, Fox, $3,662,375, 4 Wks. ($72,446,523); 9. Step Up 2 the Streets, Disney, $3,062,501, 4 Wks. ($53,016,888); 10. Fool's Gold, Warner Bros., $2,782,416, 5 Wks. ($62,802,900).

11/03/2008