DJ Rhodes
14 June 2004, 06:44
'Stepford' was the ticket in strong film weekend
Summer, say hello to the older woman. The ladies of Stepford performed better than expected against tough box office competition.
Hollywood's season for teens made way for adult women this weekend as The Stepford Wives, starring Nicole Kidman, took in $22.2 million, according to studio estimates from box office trackers Nielsen EDI. (Related chart: See the weekend's top 10 films)
Though Stepford Wives managed only fourth place, the haul is $5 million more than most analysts anticipated and was particularly impressive considering Stepford's competition. Two other films opened well this weekend, which proved one of the strongest in years at the box office. "Older women tend not to rush out on opening weekend," says Wayne Lewellen, distribution chief for Paramount Pictures, which released Stepford. "But there usually isn't a lot for them in summer, and they really responded."
Audiences responded en masse to several films this weekend, which became only the second to boast five films that broke the $20 million mark. Vin Diesel's sci-fi adventure The Chronicles of Riddick opened at No. 2 with $24.6 million, and Garfield was fifth with a surprisingly strong $21.7 million. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban held the No. 1 spot, though it dropped a hefty 62% for $35.1 million.
Azkaban suffered the biggest second-weekend drop of the three Potter films. Studios fared well by marketing to vastly different audiences, says Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo. "The teens could choose Riddick, the moms had Stepford Wives and kids had Garfield."
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, $35.1 M
2. The Chronicles of Riddick, $24.6 M
3. Shrek 2, $24 M
4. The Stepford Wives, $22.2 M
5. Garfield: The Movie, $21.7 M
6. The Day After Tomorrow, $14.55 M
7. Raising Helen, $3.8 M
8. Troy, $3.5 M
9, Saved!, $2.55 M
10. Mean Girls, $1.5 M
Summer, say hello to the older woman. The ladies of Stepford performed better than expected against tough box office competition.
Hollywood's season for teens made way for adult women this weekend as The Stepford Wives, starring Nicole Kidman, took in $22.2 million, according to studio estimates from box office trackers Nielsen EDI. (Related chart: See the weekend's top 10 films)
Though Stepford Wives managed only fourth place, the haul is $5 million more than most analysts anticipated and was particularly impressive considering Stepford's competition. Two other films opened well this weekend, which proved one of the strongest in years at the box office. "Older women tend not to rush out on opening weekend," says Wayne Lewellen, distribution chief for Paramount Pictures, which released Stepford. "But there usually isn't a lot for them in summer, and they really responded."
Audiences responded en masse to several films this weekend, which became only the second to boast five films that broke the $20 million mark. Vin Diesel's sci-fi adventure The Chronicles of Riddick opened at No. 2 with $24.6 million, and Garfield was fifth with a surprisingly strong $21.7 million. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban held the No. 1 spot, though it dropped a hefty 62% for $35.1 million.
Azkaban suffered the biggest second-weekend drop of the three Potter films. Studios fared well by marketing to vastly different audiences, says Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo. "The teens could choose Riddick, the moms had Stepford Wives and kids had Garfield."
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, $35.1 M
2. The Chronicles of Riddick, $24.6 M
3. Shrek 2, $24 M
4. The Stepford Wives, $22.2 M
5. Garfield: The Movie, $21.7 M
6. The Day After Tomorrow, $14.55 M
7. Raising Helen, $3.8 M
8. Troy, $3.5 M
9, Saved!, $2.55 M
10. Mean Girls, $1.5 M