‘Anaconda’ Puts the Squeeze on Carrey

Sony Pictures Entertainment, which seemingly couldn’t buy a hit in recent years, has three movies in the Top 10 this week. Heading the pack is “Anaconda,” a jungle thriller about a menacing 40-foot snake. It grossed $16.6 million to dethrone Jim Carrey’s “Liar Liar,” which had held the No. 1 spot for three weeks. The other Sony Top 10 films are “The Devil’s Own” and “Double Team.”

Several smaller films in limited release included: “Chasing Amy,” which took in $302,406 on 25 screens in its second week, “Keys to Tulsa” ($28,318 on 24 screens), “Cosi” ($19,245 on 10 screens) and “Paradise Road” ($62,518 on nine screens), all of which are in their first week of release.

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Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Anaconda” $16.6 2,456 1 (Sony/Columbia) $16.6 $6,767 2. “Liar Liar” $14.5 2,880 4 (Universal) $120 $5,030 3. “The Saint” $10.8 2,449 2 (Paramount) $31.4 $4,413 4. “Gross Pointe Blank” $6.9 1,227 1 (Disney/Hollywood) $6.9 $5,599 5. “The Devil’s Own” $4.2 2,355 3 (Sony/Columbia) $35.6 $1,775 6. “That Old Feeling” $3.5 1,599 2 (Universal) $10.1 $2,165 7. “Jungle 2 Jungle” $2.2 1,751 6 (Disney) $51.0 $1,270 8. “Double Team” $2.1 2,203 2 (Sony/Columbia) $8.4 $957 9. “Scream” $2 1,270 17 (Miramax/Dimension) $88.8 $1,587 10. “Selena” $1.8 992 4 (Warner Bros.) $30.5 $1,824

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.