Truth
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2001
- Messages
- 266
By Greg Hernandez
Staff Writer
The record-setting box office performance of "Fahrenheit 9/11" was even
stronger than projected, with Michael Moore's anti-Bush administration film
grossing $23.9 million over the weekend -- more than $2 million higher than
original studio estimates, according to final figures released Monday.
Released by Lions Gate Films and IFC Entertainment, "Fahrenheit" is the first
movie since 1994's "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to open at No. 1 despite
playing in fewer than 900 theaters and is the first documentary ever to debut
at the top of the box office heap.
Lions Gate and IFC announced Monday a plan to nearly double the number of
theaters for the film, with more than 1,500 theaters booked for the Fourth of
July holiday weekend. If current momentum holds, some believe "Fahrenheit"
could approach $100 million in domestic ticket sales.
Sunday night business for the controversial documentary was brisk, with the
film clearly benefiting from the barrage of free publicity it has generated in
recent weeks, in the same way that Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" did
earlier this year. Both movies were passed on by the major studios, and both
created a firestorm of pre-release controversy. In both cases, audience
turnout got a boost from people wanting to see what the fuss was about.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20950~2240690,00.html
Staff Writer
The record-setting box office performance of "Fahrenheit 9/11" was even
stronger than projected, with Michael Moore's anti-Bush administration film
grossing $23.9 million over the weekend -- more than $2 million higher than
original studio estimates, according to final figures released Monday.
Released by Lions Gate Films and IFC Entertainment, "Fahrenheit" is the first
movie since 1994's "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to open at No. 1 despite
playing in fewer than 900 theaters and is the first documentary ever to debut
at the top of the box office heap.
Lions Gate and IFC announced Monday a plan to nearly double the number of
theaters for the film, with more than 1,500 theaters booked for the Fourth of
July holiday weekend. If current momentum holds, some believe "Fahrenheit"
could approach $100 million in domestic ticket sales.
Sunday night business for the controversial documentary was brisk, with the
film clearly benefiting from the barrage of free publicity it has generated in
recent weeks, in the same way that Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" did
earlier this year. Both movies were passed on by the major studios, and both
created a firestorm of pre-release controversy. In both cases, audience
turnout got a boost from people wanting to see what the fuss was about.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20950~2240690,00.html
