Weekend Box Office : ‘Tommy Boy’ Tops a Weak Field

The nation’s box office has yet to catch spring fever. Paramount’s “Tommy Boy” made its debut in first place with just over $8 million, but that was spread wide, on 2,165 screens, which doesn’t indicate it will be a much-needed breakthrough hit. “Circle of Friends” emerged as a bit of a sleeper with nearly $2.5 million in its first wide-release weekend on only 330 screens--a wondrous $7,349 per theater.

Merchant Ivory’s “Jefferson in Paris,” starring Nick Nolte, got off to a promising start in two theaters, taking in $61,349. The real test comes when it expands over the next couple of weeks.

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Weekend Box Office

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Tommy Boy” $8 2,165 1 (Paramount) $8 $3,708 2. “Outbreak” $5.7 2,230 4 (Warner Bros.) $48.8 $2,544 3. “Major Payne” $5.2 1,991 2 (Universal) $14.1 $2,635 4. “Dolores Claiborne” $4.5 1,249 2 (Columbia) $11.9 $3,605 5. “Forrest Gump” $2.7 1,135 Re-release (Paramount) $321.1 $2,335 6. “Muriel’s Wedding” $2.6 836 4 (Miramax) $7.1 $3,118 7. “Circle of Friends” $2.5 339 3 (Savoy) $4.8 $7,349 8. “Pulp Fiction” $2.2 1,099 25 (Miramax) $98.3 $1,964 9. “Man of the House” $2.2 1,812 5 (Walt Disney) $33.6 $1,216 10. “Tank Girl” $2 1,341 1 (MGM/UA) $2 $1,505 * “Jefferson in Paris” $61,349 2 1 (Disney/Touchstone) $61,349 $30,675

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.