Third "Pirates" sets sail for record
Fri May 25, 2007 2:02AM BST
By Gina Keating
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Spider-Man 3" and "Shrek the Third" may have set opening weekend box office records this month, but Hollywood thinks the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" film will steal a hefty chunk of the summer cinema season's treasure.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which opens on Friday in 102 countries and territories is the final film in a trilogy that has so far grossed $1.7 billion (856 million pounds) at global box offices and has sold 40 million DVDs and home videos for the Walt Disney Co.
Advance ticket sales for the film were on par with the record-breaking $151 million debut earlier this month for Sony Corp.'s "Spider-Man 3," but the film's length -- nearly three hours with trailers -- will limit the number of times it is shown and could affect its 3-day total, said Jeff Bock, an analyst for box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.
But "At World's End" will be opening in a record 4,362 North American cinemas, about 110 more than "Spider-Man 3" and about 200 more than DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.'s "Shrek the Third," which set an opening-weekend record last week for an animated film at $122 million.
"We are looking at a bow (debut) that's got to be between 'Shrek the Third' and 'Spider-Man 3,' and if everything works out it, could surpass it," Bock said.
"No doubt it will be the biggest Memorial Day opening weekend, eclipsing 'X-Men: Last Stand' with a four-day $122 million total."
Top U.S. online ticket sellers Fandango.com and MovieTickets.com both showed "At World's End" outpacing "Spider-Man 3" at the same point in the sales cycle.
Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told attendees at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers this week he was anxiously awaiting the public's reaction to the new film.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKN2133783920070525
Fri May 25, 2007 2:02AM BST
By Gina Keating
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Spider-Man 3" and "Shrek the Third" may have set opening weekend box office records this month, but Hollywood thinks the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" film will steal a hefty chunk of the summer cinema season's treasure.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which opens on Friday in 102 countries and territories is the final film in a trilogy that has so far grossed $1.7 billion (856 million pounds) at global box offices and has sold 40 million DVDs and home videos for the Walt Disney Co.
Advance ticket sales for the film were on par with the record-breaking $151 million debut earlier this month for Sony Corp.'s "Spider-Man 3," but the film's length -- nearly three hours with trailers -- will limit the number of times it is shown and could affect its 3-day total, said Jeff Bock, an analyst for box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.
But "At World's End" will be opening in a record 4,362 North American cinemas, about 110 more than "Spider-Man 3" and about 200 more than DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.'s "Shrek the Third," which set an opening-weekend record last week for an animated film at $122 million.
"We are looking at a bow (debut) that's got to be between 'Shrek the Third' and 'Spider-Man 3,' and if everything works out it, could surpass it," Bock said.
"No doubt it will be the biggest Memorial Day opening weekend, eclipsing 'X-Men: Last Stand' with a four-day $122 million total."
Top U.S. online ticket sellers Fandango.com and MovieTickets.com both showed "At World's End" outpacing "Spider-Man 3" at the same point in the sales cycle.
Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told attendees at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers this week he was anxiously awaiting the public's reaction to the new film.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKN2133783920070525
), but I may go see Spidey 3 this weekend, and I WILL go see Shrek 3 this weekend.
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