Thanksgiving Weekend Box Office

Just by a hair, the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend produced a record-breaking box-office total of $134.6 million in ticket sales of films generating more than $500,000, according to a final tally compiled Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. The weekend total just barely surpassed the previous record set on Thanksgiving weekend in 1992 when business hit $134.3 million. A slight fluctuation in ticket prices between then and now could account for the new high.

Disney’s family holiday tale, “The Santa Clause,” featuring TV sitcom star Tim Allen, moved into first place after opening in second three weekends ago and dropping to third the following weekend.

Other holdover films, including Paramount’s “Star Trek” sequel and Warner Bros.’ Tom Cruise horror picture “Interview With the Vampire,” proved more popular at the box office than some new entries like “Junior,” teaming Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, Disney’s urban comedy “A Low Down Dirty Shame” and Fox’s largely animated family film “The Pagemaster.”

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “The Santa Clause” $27.4 2,269 3 (Walt Disney) $70.3 $12,081 2. “Star Trek: Generations” $19 2,681 2 (Paramount) $49 $7,111 3. “Interview With the Vampire” $17 2,604 3 (Warner Bros.) $83.4 $6,480 4. “Junior” $13.4 1,749 1 (Universal) $13.4 7,685 5. “A Low Down Dirty Shame” $11.4 1,334 1 (Disney/Hollywood) $11.4 $8,560 6. “The Lion King”* $8 1,510 2 (Walt Disney) $282 $5,315 7. “Stargate” $6.5 2,033 5 (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) $60.2 $3,209 8. “The Professional” $5.3 1,220 2 (Columbia) $11.7 $4,375 9. “The Pagemaster” $5.1 1,803 1 (20th Century Fox) $5.1 $2,851 10. “Miracle on 34th Street” $5 1,191 2 (20th Century Fox) $8.1 $4,175

* Box-office total includes initial 15-week release plus two weeks of reissue.

Turkey Weekend a Big Bird at Theaters

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.