A ‘Scary’ but Much Needed Jolt

“Scary Movie” scared some life back into summertime movie attendance over the weekend, grossing an impressive $42.5 million or thereabouts in its first weekend. Keenen Ivory Wayans’ horror-movie spoof from Miramax’s Dimension label was on 2,912 screens and averaged about $14,600 a theater. That’s an even stronger debut than last weekend’s “The Perfect Storm,” which was on 500 more screens and had the Independence Day celebration to help it along.

“Scary,” which is far and away Miramax’s biggest opening (“Scream 3” debuted to $34.7 million), surpassed the company’s most optimistic opening-weekend estimates. According to Miramax executive Dennis Rice, approximately 70% of the audience for “Scary Movie” was between ages 18 and 25, with a slightly male slant. Exit surveys indicate good word of mouth and a potential for repeat viewings.

Miramax co-head Bob Weinstein says “Scary Movie” was originally planned for an April release, but research screenings were so strong that the company decided to gamble on a midsummer opening when the teen audience is around all week long. The film was scheduled as counter-programming to such big-budget dramas as “The Patriot” and “Perfect Storm,” a strategy that had worked for the company when it released “Scream” in the middle of the Christmas season several years ago.

“Disney’s The Kid” (the studio couldn’t clear the title “The Kid”) may have been hampered by the family label, which scared off some of its adult audience. Despite the proven drawing power of Bruce Willis, the comedy came up a little short, with a minor league estimate of $12.5 million in its first three days on 2,167 screens.

Interestingly, it was the second weekend in a row that a high-concept film has handily beaten a star-driven movie. So far this summer only Tom Cruise has managed to justify his big bucks, with Willis, Jim Carrey and Mel Gibson unable to push their respective vehicles into overdrive. On the other hand, the star wattage of relative newcomers Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”), George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg (“Perfect Storm”) and Martin Lawrence (“Big Momma’s House”) is much brighter.

Solidifying its position as one of the big summer hits, “Perfect Storm” held with only a 35% drop in its second weekend, less than was anticipated given its huge debut. “Storm” was still raging with an estimated $27 million on 3,407 screens, bringing its 10-day total to exactly $100 million. “Storm” is now positioned to do battle with “Gladiator” ($174 million so far) for second place in the summer sweepstakes behind “M:I-2,” which scaled the $200-million summit during the past week.

“The Patriot” also held with a moderate 31% drop, taking in $15.5 million on 3,061 screens in its second weekend, despite complaints about the film’s violence and historical accuracy. With $65.5 million in the till already, “Patriot” will eventually top $100 million, though clearly more was expected of the Revolutionary War epic.

“Chicken Run” is clucking away with an estimated $9.5 million in its third weekend on 2,901 screens and an excellent $63.3 million to date, making it one of the summer’s better family entertainment performers.

After a shaky first half, “Scary Movie” effectively launched the second part of the lucrative summer season. With four movies grossing $12 million or more over the second weekend of July, the total take for the top 12 movies came in at about $136 million, according to Exhibitor Relations, 26% ahead of last year. That’s especially good, considering that the comparable weekend in 1999 was the Fourth of July holiday. The past weekend was also 9% ahead of last weekend’s three-day haul. For the time being, that stems the downward trend of the season due to a less than spectacular June. With two blockbuster titles currently in theaters and the arrival of the much-anticipated “X-Men” next weekend and the “Nutty Professor” sequel at the end of the month, ticket sales in July should continue to be healthy.

Considering that “Scary Movie” spirited away much of the comedy audience, both “Me, Myself and Irene” and “Big Momma’s House” managed to hold on well. The Carrey comedy brought in another $8 million in weekend three on 2,990 screens for a more than respectable $68 million to date. Though it’s not expected to reach $100 million, it will come close. Meanwhile, “Big Momma” sailed past the century mark over its sixth weekend on 1,934 screens with another $4.1 million. Its total stands at almost $104 million, with some tiger still left in its tank.

The only major casualty in the top 10 is “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle,” which landed in ninth place, falling a predictable 41% in its second weekend. In 2,480 theaters, it grossed $4 million for a weak $16.2 million to date.