Hollywood Digest

'SANTA' ON BOX-OFFICE NICE LIST

Disney got at least one thing what it wanted for Christmas -- a big opening for "The Santa Clause, 2" the sequel to Tim Allen's 1994 hit "The Santa Claus."

The picture finished at No. 1 in its opening weekend with an estimated $29 million, well ahead of No. 2 "The Ring," which took in $18.5 million in its third weekend. The new Eddie Muprhy-Owen Wilson action-comedy "I Spy" opened in third with $14 million, widely regarded by box-office analysts as a disappointment.

"Jackass the Movie" finished fourth with 13.1 million, followed by the 29th weekend of "My Big Fat Greek Weeding," which garnered $5.6 million and is on track to reach $200 million.

Overall, the U.S. box-office was down 19 percent from the same weekend last year, with $117 million. Of course, the same weekend last year featured the $62.6 million opening of Disney-Pixar's "Monsters, Inc."

The box office has taken in $7.39 billion so far this year, putting it 12 percent ahead if last year's pace.

SPIDEY STILL CLIMBING

After becoming the biggest box office hit of the year so far, "Spider-Man" has reached new heights on home video -- selling 7 million copies in its first day in release on Friday, and an estimated 11 million overall for the weekend.

Analysts estimate that Sony Pictures Entertainment took in $200 million from retail sale and rental of "Spider-Man" on VHS and DVD. Executives at Sony's Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment estimated that DVD accounted for as much as 80 percent of the home video sales.

"Star Wars: Episode Two -- Attack of the Clones" is due in stores on DVD and VHS in two weeks.

OSCAR-WINNER POLLACK'S SMALL SCREEN ADVENTURE

Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack ("Out of Africa," "Tootsie") will join with writer James Manos ("The Sopranos," "The Shield") to create an hourlong political drama for ABC.

"The Rackets" will be adapted from novelist Thomas Kelly's book of the same name about a political machine in New York City. The series will focus on an Irish-American working class family.

'ABOUT A BOY' -- THE TV SERIES

Fox TV has ordered a half-hour comedy series pilot based on this year's feature "About a Boy," which starred Hugh Grant in the story of a carefree bachelor who reevaluates his life after he meets his 12-year-old son.

The movie was based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby ("High Fidelity").

AN EARLIER 'SECRET' ON CBS

Programmers at CBS have decided to run the "Victoria's Secret" Thanksgiving special an hour earlier than planned -- at 8 p.m., rather than 9 p.m. on Turkey Day.

At the same time, CBS executives have decided to give "Survivor: Thailand" Thanksgiving off, and run the show on the night before Thanksgiving instead. When "Survivor" ran on Thanksgiving night in 2001, its ratings were a bit off.

The move means that "Survivor" will run on the final night of the November sweeps. The season finale for "Survivor: Thailand" is scheduled to air Dec. 19.

CATES RETURNS AS OSCAR PRODUCER

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Gil Cates will return as producer of the annual Oscars telecast.

The 75th Academy Awards will be Cates' 11th turn as producer of the global telecast. This year's show was produced by "Spider-Man" producer Laura Ziskin.

It will be several months before a host is named for the 75th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 23, 2003 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.