‘Patch Adams’ Just What Holiday Ordered

After enduring lackluster results with three high-profile releases--”Meet Joe Black,” “Babe: Pig in the City” and “Psycho”--Universal Studios vaulted to the top of the box-office charts over the Christmas weekend with the Robin Williams sentimental comedy “Patch Adams,” which had the biggest Christmas Day release in history. Another tear-jerker, “Stepmom” from Sony/Columbia, finished second ($25.3 million to $19.1 million).

Twentieth Century Fox’s “The Thin Red Line,” Miramax’s “Down in the Delta,” Fine Line’s “Hurlyburly” and Touchstone’s “A Civil Action” all opened strong in limited release.

Weekend Box Office

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Patch Adams” $25.3 2,712 1 (Universal) $25.3 $9,315 2. “Stepmom” $19.1 2,358 1 (Sony/Columbia) $19.1 $8,118 3. “You’ve Got Mail” $18.1 2,756 2 (Warner Bros.) $47.4 $6,568 4. “The Prince of Egypt” $15.1 3,218 2 (DreamWorks) $40.1 $4,698 5. “The Faculty” $11.6 2,365 1 (Miramax/Dimension) $11.6 $4,919 6. “Mighty Joe Young” $10.6 2,502 1 (Disney) $10.6 $4,237 7. “A Bug’s Life” $10.1 2,456 6 (Disney/Pixar) $114.5 $4,123 8. “Star Trek: Insurrection” $7.3 2,677 3 (Paramount) $47.7 $2,728 9. “Enemy of the State” $5.3 1,505 6 (Disney/Touchstone) $87.5 $3,519 10. “Jack Frost” $3.9 2,142 3 (Warner Bros.) $22.5 $1,822 *”Down in the Delta” $1.6 416 1 (Miramax) $1.6 $3,934 *”The Thin Red Line” $282,534 5 1 (Fox) $369,357 $56,507 *”Hurlyburly” $164,826 16 1 (Fine Line) $164,826 $10,302 *”A Civil Action” $70,079 2 1 (Disney/Touchstone) $70,079 $35,040

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.