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‘Black Swan’ has legs at box office

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Dancing before sold-out crowds

“Black Swan” is looking like more than an art-house hit.

Fox Searchlight expanded the ballet drama starring Natalie Portman to 90 theaters from 18 on its second weekend and took in a phenomenal $3.3 million. Despite playing on so few screens, it was the nation’s No. 6 movie.

“Black Swan” sold out most shows, not only in urban theaters that regularly play offbeat indie films but also in cities such as Burbank and Huntington Beach that often favor more mainstream fare. That could mean that director Darren Aronofsky’s $13-million production, co-financed by Cross Creek Pictures, is becoming the rare movie released by a specialty label such as Searchlight that flowers into a broad-based hit, much like “Brokeback Mountain” or “ Slumdog Millionaire.”

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Whether that’s true should become clear next week when it opens nationwide at more than 800 theaters.

The well-reviewed boxing drama “The Fighter,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, opened to a strong $320,000 at four theaters — two in Boston near where the movie takes place, one in Los Angeles and one in New York City. Its average take of $80,000 is the third highest of the year behind “The King’s Speech” and “Black Swan.” Next week, it also opens around the country.

The only bad news in the crowded end-of-year limited-release field was for “The Tempest,” director Julie Taymor’s adaptation of the Shakespeare play. It opened to a soft $45,000 at five theaters.

— Ben Fritz

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