There <i> Is</i> Something About ‘Mary’

“Mary” has legs.

After seven weeks in release, “There’s Something About Mary” is going up the charts. Last week, the 20th Century Fox comedy was No. 3, but the studio added 215 theaters, boosting the movie’s gross to $8.4 million for the weekend. The comedy is the biggest sleeper of the summer, taking in $116.2 million.

Meanwhile, New Line Cinema’s “Blade,” starring Wesley Snipes, remained the biggest money-maker for the second week in a row, taking in $10.9 million.

Overall, this has been a record summer at the box office for Hollywood, with nine movies taking in more than $100 million. By Labor Day, the summer box office will set a record with $2.5 billion in ticket sales, according to Exhibitor Relations Inc., a box-office tracking firm.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Weekend Box Office

*--*

Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Blade” $10.9 2,351 2 (New Line) $34.7 $4,647 2. “Something About Mary” $8.4 2,401 7 (Fox) $116.2 $3,488 3. “Saving Private Ryan” $8.1 2,774 6 (DreamWorks) $155.3 $2,917 4. “54” $6.6 1,859 1 (Miramax) $6.6 $3,556 5. “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” $3.9 1,369 1 (Warner Bros.) $3.9 $2,883 6. “Ever After” $3.8 1,910 5 (Fox) $48.5 $1,978 7. “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” $3.6 1,383 3 (Fox) $28.0 $2,638 8. “Snake Eyes” $3.57 2,243 4 (Paramount) $46.0 $1,594 9. “The Parent Trap” $2.9 2,041 5 (Disney) $56.2 $1,438 10. “Dance With Me” $2.88 1,467 2 (Sony/Columbia) $9.2 $1,965

*--*

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.