ARTICLES
"Pie 2" Slices Into Competition
Aug 13, 2001 http://www.eonline.com
Moviegoers were more than ready for a second helping of Pie.
Thanks to another round of flute jokes, bodily fluid gags and a tantric run-in with Stifler's mom, American Pie 2 scored big in its weekend box-office debut, taking in $45.1 million, the best debut ever for an R-rated comedy.
Universal's sequel to the 1999 teen-sex hit--featuring all of the original cast including Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott and Alyson Hannigan--topped the $42 million debut of former raunch comedy champ, last year's original Scary Movie.
Pie 2, which featured the sexually frustrated ensemble returning home from their first year in college, opened in 3,063 theaters and averaged a solid $14,730 per screen. Its total more than doubled the original's $18.7 million take when it opened in July 1999.
Overall, the flick helped keep box-office receipts surprisingly strong during August, when the summer movie season usually slows down. The weekend's top 12 films brought in $148.5 million, up 54 percent from the same weekend last year.
Helping things along was last weekend's big winner, Rush Hour 2, which fell to second place with $33.1 million. Despite a 51 percent drop from its opening, New Line's Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker buddy flick brought its 10-day total to $133.5 million.
And, offering further proof that a G-rating isn't always the kiss of death, Garry Marshall's Disney tale The Princess Diaries held steady in third place with $14.2 million during its second weekend.
As for the weekend's other debuts, ghostly horror tale The Others--starring Nicole Kidman and executive produced by now-ex-husband Tom Cruise--debuted in fourth place with $14.1 million, averaging a respectable $8,397 per screen. The film received generally positive reviews, but it also scored some added publicity when Cruise and Kidman both showed up for the premiere just one day before their divorce was finalized. Miramax plans to expand The Others to about 500 more screens next weekend.
Movie goers were indifferent, however, to Osmosis Jones, the new Farrelly brothers animated/live-action flick starring Chris Rock as a cellular cop protecting Bill Murray's body from infection. Its $5.3 million debut was plenty to sneeze at, as the Warner Bros. release averaged just $2,287 per screen.
Rounding out the top 10: After 17 days, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes dropped down to fifth place with $13.3 million, bringing its overall total to $148.7 million. Jurassic Park III placed sixth with $7.5 million.
America's Sweethearts brought in another $4.4 million to land in eighth place, while Legally Blonde--which is already destined for a sequel--chalked up $3.8 million for ninth place.
But it's cold shower time for Angelina Jolie and Atonio Banderas. After a depressing sixth-place debut last week, their steamy Original Sin dropped another 52 percent, taking in $3.1 million for 10th place. Sinners, repent.
In limited release, blackmail thriller The Deep End had an excellent debut, scoring a strong $23,642-per-screen average in just six theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The film, starring Tilda Swinton, will expand to about 200 theaters over the next couple weeks.
Here's a rundown the weekend's final top 10 as compiled by box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations:
1. American Pie 2, $45.1 million
2. Rush Hour 2, $33.1 million
3. The Princess Diaries, $14.2 million
4. The Others, $14.1 million
5. Planet of the Apes, $13.3 million
6. Jurassic Park III, $7.5 million
7. Osmosis Jones, $5.3 million
8. America's Sweethearts, $4.4 million
9. Legally Blonde, $3.8 million
10. Original Sin, $3.1 million
(ORIGINALLY POSTED 8/12/01 at 2:00 p.m. PT)