HOLLYWOOD, June 30 -- In the battle of the U.S. weekend box office, Paramount identity crisis thriller 'Face/Off' outmuscled Disney's wide release of 'Hercules.' 'Face/Off,' starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, opened at 2, 621 theaters with $23.4 million for Friday-Sunday, while Disney's animated feature about the mythic hero took in $21.4 million at 2,872 theaters after a limited run in major cities.
Warner Bros.' 'Batman and Robin' dropped to No. 3 in its second weekend, taking in $15.7 million at 2,942 screens. Ticket sales for the fourth Batman feature were off 63 percent from its opening, but 'Batman and Robin' still has managed to hit $75.8 million. TriStar's 'My Best Friend's Wedding' starring Julia Roberts picked up $15 million at 2,134 theaters in its second weekend to top $49.2 million. Disney's 'Con Air' came in fifth in its fourth weekend with $5.9 million at 2,564 theaters for a new total of $78.5 million. Universal's 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' raked in another $4.5 million at 2,607 theaters for a six-week total of $213.2 million. It already ranks 19th among top-grossing movies in the United States and is gaining on 'Ghost' at No. 18 with $217 million. 20th Century Fox's 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' picked up $3.7 million at 2,438 screens for seventh place and a relatively unimpressive $38.1 million after three weeks. Universal's 'Liar Liar' reclaimed some 220 screens and sold another $1.3 million at 980 theaters for $172.9 million after 15 weeks. New Line's 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' came in ninth with 671,090 for a nine-week total of nearly $50 million. It was followed by Disney's 'Gone Fishin'' with $632,997 at 851 screens for a scant $17.3 million after five weeks. ---
Copyright 1997 by United Press International. All rights reserved.
