Looking Back at a Hot, Early Summer

For the 17-week period beginning May 10 with the release of “Twister” and running through Labor Day, Hollywood’s box office took in a total of $2.36 billion, a 1% increase over a comparable period last year.

“I honestly think [summer] started sooner than anyone thought it could,” said Jeff Blake, president of Sony Pictures Releasing. “I don’t think anybody thought you could release a movie [in early May] and do the business ‘Twister’ did, and nobody believed summer would end in mid-July when the Olympics opened.”

* “The Spitfire Grill” saw 70% capacity crowds in limited release, with strong showings in the Midwest and South, according to Sony officials. “It has a grass-roots appeal along the ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ line,” Blake said. The film widens to 1,000 screens this weekend.

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Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “The Crow: City of Angels” $9.8 2,423 1 (Miramax) $9.8 $4,038 2. “Tin Cup” $9 2,102 3 (Warner Bros.) $35.9 $4,271 3. “First Kid” $8.4 1,878 1 (Disney) $8.4 $4,491 4. “A Time to Kill” $7.1 2,132 6 (Warner Bros.) $92 $3,325 5. “The Island of Dr. Moreau” $6.5 2,039 2 (New Line) $18.6 $3,169 6. “Jack” $5.9 2,222 4 (Disney/Hollywood) $45.8 $2,641 7. “Independence Day” $5.5 2,195 9 (Fox) $282 $2,523 8. “A Very Brady Sequel” $4.9 2,147 2 (Paramount) $14.8 $2,288 9. “Emma” $3.1 725 5 (Miramax) $13.5 $4,214 10. “The Fan” $2.5 1,521 3 (Sony/TriStar)$16.6 $1,648 *”The Spitfire Grill” $241,353 18 2 (Sony/Columbia) $474,861 $13,409

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.