Top 10 for April 22-24, 2005 Summary: Final numbers are in.
Nicole Kidman enjoyed her first No. 1 debut since 1999's Eyes Wide Shut as her political thriller The Interpreter,
took in an estimated $22.8 million this weekend. Co-starring Sean Pean and helmed by veteran director Syndey Pollack, the $80 million budgeted
picture made headlines as the first ever shot inside the tightly secured U.N. building.
Averaging a strong $8,270 in 2,758 theaters, the debut surpassed the $21.7m bow of Kidman's Eyes Wide Shut, and if estimates hold,
should become the second biggest opening of her career behind only Batman Forever's $52.8 million.
Interpreter's weekend was nearly identical to Denzel Washington's Man on Fire, which took in $22.8 million (in
2,980 theaters) on the comparable weekend last year, and a domestic total of $77.9 million.
Worldwide, The Intepreter was also No. 1, bringing its overseas total to $25 million to date.
It was a solid sophomore outing for last week's champ, as MGM's remake The Amityville Horror
fell just 40% to an estimated $14.2 million. Budgeted at just $19m the horror flick has now grossed $43.8 million
in ten days, virtually the same pace as last year's Dawn of the Dead. At its current pace,
Amityville should surpass $70 million domestically.
Paramount's mega-budgeted adventure pic Sahara continues to exhibit strong word of mouth, falling just 31% to
an estimated $9 million. Its 17-day total now stands at $48.9 million. Budgeted at $130m, the Mathew McConaughey starrer should finish with
$70 million domestically.
The Ashton Kutcher-Amanda Peet romantic comedy A Lot Like Love debuted with an estimated $7.7 million,
averaging $3,095 in 2,502 theaters for Buena Vista. Budgeted at $30m, this is the first time the actor has had two starring films
(Guess Who) both finish in the top ten in the same weekend.
Despite a stellar limited release run, Sony Pictures Classics' Kung Fu Hustle couldn't match expectations in its first
week of wide release, finishing in fifth place with an estimated $7.3 million. Expanding by 2,496 theater to 2,503 total, the Stephen Chow
comedy averaged a mediocre $2,915 per theater, bringing its North American total to $8 million. Overseas, the $20m budgeted
hit comedy has already amassed an impressive $66 million.
New Line's King's Ransom rounded out the top ten in its debut weekend, bringing in just $2.3 million in 1,508 theaters
for a pathetic $1,509 average. In limited release, the documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
grossed an estimated $75,000 in three theaters, while UA's Madison took in $253,000 in 93 theaters.
Falling out of the top ten was Sandra Bullock's Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous with an estimated
$1.865 million, bringing its five week total to $44.4m.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $79.3 million, virtually identical to last year's comparable frame when Man on Fire
opened to $22.8 million.
