TOP 12: We've got a HERO

By: Patrick Sauriol
Date: Monday, August 30, 2004

Two years after its release in the far east, North American audiences finally had their chance to see HERO and they chose it as their favorite film at the box office this past weekend. Miramax's HERO netted an estimated $17.8 million over its first three days, proving that this action-adventure set in Chinese history has the clout to appeal to a worldwide audience. When it was released in China two years back HERO grossed an amazing $100 M, and it's not inconcievable that the film could add a similar amount to its tally over here.

Arriving at second spot was ANACONDAS, the follow up to the Jennifer Lopez/Ice Cube ANACONDA. The low budget film took in about $13 M and will make a small but nice profit for its studio.

Last week's number two film, WITHOUT A PADDLE, droppped this week to third position while EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING fell two more spots further to fifth position overall. PRINCESS DIARIES 2 and COLLATERAL are proving to have longer legs and are sticking around the upper portion of the top twelve.

The biggest loser of the week was Paramount's thriller SUSPECT ZERO which made its debut at tenth spot with only $3.4 M to speak of. Coming in just under SUSPECT ZERO was BABY GENIUSES 2, which means that roughly the same amount of people that went to see SUSPECT ZERO went to see a movie about talking babies. A black cloud must be hovering over the Paramount lot today.

Here are the estimated box office receipts of the top twelve films from August 27 through to August 29 with their weekend gross and the movie's total domestic gross to date. New films are signified in red.


BOX OFFICE FRIDAY AUGUST 27 to SUNDAY AUGUST 29, 2004:


1. HERO $17,802,000 $17,802,000
2. ANACONDAS: THE HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID $13,200,000 $13,200,000
3. WITHOUT A PADDLE $8,700,000 $27,857,000
4. THE PRINCESS DIARIES 2: ROYAL ENGAGEMENT $8,068,000 $75,050,000
5. EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING $6,735,000 $30,821,000
6. COLLATERAL $6,300,000 $79,988,000
7. OPEN WATER $5,000,000 $23,502,000
8. ALIEN VS. PREDATOR $4,800,000 $72,065,000
9. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY $4,605,000 $157,708,000
10. SUSPECT ZERO $3,400,000 $3,400,000

11. SUPER BABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2 $3,300,000 $3,300,000
12. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE $2,830,000 $59,003,000


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