TOP 10: BAD BOYS make some easy cash

By: Patrick Sauriol
Date: Monday, July 21, 2003

Director Michael Bay and his BAD BOYS took the top spot at the box office this past weekend. Columbia Pictures' BAD BOYS II earned an estimated $46.7 million dollars, significantly more than the opening weekend for the original 1996 film. However, the real story is that other Jerry Bruckheimer produced movie, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, which is only down an amazing 29% from last weekend's opening gross. That's phenominal news for Disney, the studio that put out PIRATES, and a good sign for the development team working on the sequel.

Meanwhile, THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN dipped about 55% and took in just over $10 M, which isn't that great. Rowan Atkinson's bumbling secret agent JOHNNY ENGLISH grossed $9.3 and came in fourth while TERMINATOR 3 took in another $9.2. M. It's doubtful that T3 will come close to grossing $200 M like its predecessor, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, did back in 1991.

Another story I'm keeping my eyes on is just how much FINDING NEMO will close with. Another weekend, another $7 million dollars have been added to the film's ticket receipts. Theater owners must be delighted with NEMO's performance as they stand to earn more money the longer a film runs on their screens. What remains to be seen now is if NEMO can eclipse the number one grossing animated film, THE LION KING, which earned $312.9 M. That's less than ten million away and definitely within an arm's -- make that a fin's -- reach of getting to.


Last but not least, the team at Fox Searchlight must be happy that 28 DAYS LATER has finally cracked $30 M in grosses. It's a decent return on a mininal risk investment for the studio and we get a new zombie movie.

Here's the list of the top grossing films from July 18 to 20, their weekend gross and the film's total gross to date:

1. BAD BOYS II $46,700,000 $46,700,000
2. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL $33,300,000 $132,200,000
3. THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN $10,100,000 $42,474,000
4. JOHNNY ENGLISH $9,300,000 $9,300,000
5. TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES $9,200,000 $127,800,000
6. FINDING NEMO $7,300,000 $303,800,000
7. LEGALLY BLONDE 2 $6,100,000 $75,400,000
8. HOW TO DEAL $5,800,000 $5,800,000
9. CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE $3,700,000 $89,100,000
10. 28 DAYS LATER $2,500,000 $33,400,000


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