WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : ‘Justice’ Hangs Onto the Top Spot

Steven Seagal’s “Out for Justice” held onto the top spot in the nation’s box office for the second weekend running. Seagal edged out Columbia’s “Mortal Thoughts,” which rode the appeal of husband-and-wife duo Demi Moore and Bruce Willis to log in at No. 2 during its first weekend of release. They were the only bright spots in an otherwise unspectacular box office picture that saw each of the Top 10 movies grossing less than the weekend before. Fox’s indomitable “Home Alone”--the highest-grossing comedy ever--surpassed “Return of the Jedi” last Friday to become the third highest-grossing picture of all time.

* “Impromptu,” the story of the romance between writer George Sand and composer Frederic Chopin, is getting good word of mouth, holding firm at three theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Out for Justice” $7.0 2,010 2 (Warner Bros.) $21.3 $3,491 2. “Mortal Thoughts” $6.1 963 1 (Columbia) $6.1 $6,302 3. “Mutant Turtles II” $4.4 2,576 5 (New Line) $67.3 $1,717 4. “Silence of the Lambs” $3.5 1,642 10 (Orion) $104.9 $2,117 5. “Dances With Wolves” $2.9 1625 24 (Orion) $159.7 $1,810 * “Impromptu” $51,849 3 2 (Hemdale) $128,569 $17,283

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.