Weekend Box Office : ‘Major Payne’ Marches to the Bank

Of the weekend openings, the Damon Wayans comedy “Major Payne” was the highest grosser, pulling in more than $7 million on 1,989 screens. But on a per-screen basis, “Dolores Claiborne” and “Muriel’s Wedding” led the way. The former, based on a Stephen King tale and starring Kathy Bates, did better than $4,700 a theater, while “Muriel” was wedded to about $4,450 a screen. The controversial “Priest” drew in the devoutly curious in its New York/Los Angeles eight-screen premiere, grossing $113,430. But Disney’s “Funny Bones” tickled nary a rib, with only about $27,000 on 14 screens.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Outbreak” $8.0 2,230 3 (Warner Bros.) $40.7 $3,590 2. “Major Payne” $7.0 1,989 1 (Universal) $7.0 $3,525 3. “Dolores Claiborne” $5.7 1,216 1 (Columbia) $5.7 $4,706 4. “Man of the House” $3.5 1,995 4 (Disney) $30.4 $1,746 5. “Tall Tale” $3.0 2,065 1 (Disney) $3.0 $1,475 6. “Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh” $2.8 1,594 2 (Gramercy) $10.1 $1,742 7. “Bye Bye, Love” $2.6 1,379 2 (Fox) $8.4 $1,880 8. “Muriel’s Wedding” $2.6 573 3 (Miramax) $3.7 $4,461 9. “Pulp Fiction” $2.5 1,102 24 (Miramax) $95.1 $2,278 10. “Forrest Gump” $2.0 1,119 Re-release (Paramount) $317.1 $1,775

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.