FIRST OFF . . .

Columbia Pictures executives are reportedly ecstatic over the opening weekend grosses ($597,000, or $11,948 per screen) and exit poll responses of viewers to “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,” which opened in 50 theaters in eight cities on Friday. It had been rumored that a bad opening in those key markets, which include Los Angeles and New York, would cause the studio to pull back from a major national release pattern for the problem-plagued $40-million fantasy adventure. A studio source said plans were being made Tuesday afternoon for further expansion of the film into theaters nationwide. Columbia would not release its exit poll data, but Ed Mintz, who runs the independent exit poll firm Cinemascore, said “Munchausen” got very high marks from viewers leaving screenings at the Cineplex-Odeon Theater in Century City. Mintz said the film received an overall A- rating from viewers, but added that because 71% of the viewers were attracted by director Terry Gilliam, the rating may have been atypically high.