New Year’s Weekend Box Office : ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Takes the Holiday

The winner and still champ of the holidays is 20th Century Fox’s “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Since its opening the day before Thanksgiving, the Robin Williams-in-drag comedy has grossed $122.6 million, making it far and away the biggest attraction of the season. “That lady’s got legs,” crowed Fox Executive Vice President Tom Sherak. The New Year’s weekend was a big one for the film industry, giving it the equivalent of a last-second touchdown for 1993 following a few weeks where business was running behind the pace of last year’s Christmas season.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Mrs. Doubtfire” $17 2,325 6 (20th Century Fox) $122.6 $7,858 2. “The Pelican Brief” $13.1 2,008 3 (Warner Bros.) $61 $6,538 3. “Tombstone” $8.7 1,955 2 (Disney/Hollywood) $23.2 $4,460 4. “Sister Act 2” $8.2 2,106 4 (Disney/Touchstone) $41.2 $3,910 5. “Beethoven’s 2nd” $7.6 2,048 3 (Universal) $31.9 $3,695 6. “Grumpy Old Men” $7.5 1,244 2 (Warner Bros.) $17 $6,020 7. “Wayne’s World 2” $4 2,240 4 (Paramount) $40.1 $1,791 8. “The Piano” $2.4 523 8 (Miramax) $17.2 $4,530 9. “Geronimo” $2 1,636 4 (Columbia) $15.1 $1,229 10. “Schindler’s List” $1.6 76 3 (Universal) $6.2 $21,614 * “In the Name of the Father” $109,805 4 1 (Universal) $165,801 $27,451

* The drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Emma Thompson scored very well in its first weekend on only four screens.

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.