HOLLYWOOD, June 10 -- The opening weekend of Alcatraz thriller 'The Rock' dominated the nation's box office with a solid $25.1 million at 2,392 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period. The explosion-laden Disney release, featuring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage thwarting a terrorist takeover of the abandoned prison in San Francisco Bay, produced the studio's best debut for a live-action film, easily topping the $22.5 million from 'Dick Tracy' in 1990. Disney executives said exit polls showed strong response among moviegoers, even among females, indicating 'The Rock' has a shot at hitting $100 million if it can hold up during the next four weeks against formidable competition. 'The Rock' prevailed over NBA playoff games on Friday and Sunday and still-powerful competition from two holdover blockbusters, 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Twister.' It is likely to take in another $35 million by June 21, when Warner Bros. opens 'Eraser' with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a federal marshal who erases people's identities. 'The Rock' resembles many of the previous movies from partnership of Jerry Bruckheimer and the late Don Simpson, including 'Top Gun,' the first two 'Beverly Hills Cop' movies, 'Days of Thunder,' 'Bad Boys' and 'Crimson Tide,' with lots of action and heroes overcoming impossible odds. Its success also led to director Michael Bay signing a two-picture deal with Disney over the weekend for an estimated $8 million, placing him in the top tier with only 'The Rock' and 'Bad Boys' to his credit. Overall, the box office took in about $79 million, on par with the same weekend last year, and has grossed $2.3 billion so far this year, up $350 million from the same point last year.
Paramount's third weekend of 'Mission: Impossible' held up well in second with $14.7 million at 3,012 theaters to push its 19-day total to nearly $131 million. The Tom Cruise thriller lost less than a third of its audience from the previous weekend and should take in another $50 million to $70 million. Warner Bros.' fifth weekend of 'Twister' also kept up its strong draw with $11.9 million at 2,808 theaters to give it $187 million after 31 days, placing it among the 20 highest domestic grossers of all time. The tornado drama looks likely to hit $250 million by the end of summer. Universal's second weekend of 'Dragonheart' finished fourth with $7.6 million at 2,133 theaters to bring its 10-day gross to $27.5 million, making the 10th century fantasy-adventure the first family- oriented film to succeed since Disney's 'Mr. Holland's Opus.' The studio decided wisely to avoid competition by opening 'Dragonheart' three weeks prior to Disney's sure-fire hit, 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.' Disney's second weekend of 'Eddie' followed in fifth with $5.5 million at 2,000 screens as the basketball comedy continued to benefit from interest in the NBA playoffs. Paramount's opening weekend of 'The Phantom,' an 'Indiana Jones'- style adventure based on the long-running comic strip, finished a disappointing sixth in the crowded market with $5.1 million at 2,159 theaters. Rounding out the top 10 were Disney's third weekend of 'Spy Hard,' with $2.7 million at 2,051 theaters, Orion's second weekend of 'The Arrival' with $2.2 million at 1,693 theaters, Universal's fourth weekned of 'Flipper' with $1.2 million at 1,567 theaters, and 20th Century Fox's seventh weekend of 'the Truth About Cats and Dogs' with $706,798 at 721 theaters. Disney's 'Toy Story' followed with $636,944 at 658 discount theaters in its 29th weekend to reach $188.8 million, the top figure from any film opened in 1995. Gramercy's fifth weekend of English comedy 'Cold Comfort Farm' performed impressively with $381,289 at 72 theaters, as did Miramax's fourth weekend of swordfest 'The Horseman on the Roof' with $139,660 at 39 screens. 'The Rock' will face strong competition this weekend from the opening of Columbia's 'The Cable Guy,' starring Jim Carrey who has generated five consecutive hits in a row. Some trackers predict 'Cable Guy' may lose some Carrey fans because of its dark tone but should take in at least $75 million. Also opening will be MGM's period drama, 'Moll Flanders,' starring Robin Wright in her first major role since 'Forrest Gump.' Weekend gross, number of theaters, total gross, weeks in release:
1. 'The Rock,' $25.1 million, 2,392, 1 week. 2. 'Mission: Impossible,' $14.7 million, 3,012, $130.8 million, 3 weeks. 3. 'Twister,' $11.9 million, 2,808, $187.3 million, 5 weeks. 4. 'Dragonheart,' $7.6 million, 2,133, $27.5 million, 2 weeks. 5. 'Eddie,' $5.5 million, 2,000, $16.6 million, 2 weeks. 6. 'The Phantom,' $5.1 million, 2,159, 1 week. 7. 'Spy Hard,' $2.7 million, 2,051, $21.3 million, 3 weeks. 8. 'The Arrival,' $2.2 million, 1,693, $8.9 million, 2 weeks. 9. 'Flipper,' $1.2 million, 1,567, $15.3 million, 4 weeks. 10. 'The Truth About Cats and Dogs,' $706,798, 721, $31 million, 7 weeks. Top per-theater averages:
1. 'The Rock,' $10,481. 2. 'Cold Comfort Farm,' $5,296. 3. 'Mission: Impossible,' $4,868. 4. 'Twister,' $4,244. 5. 'The Horseman on the Roof,' $3,607.
