Universal's THE RUNDOWN, which may prove to be The Rock's breakout starring vehicle, scored a whopping $18.5M in its debut for the weekend ended Sept. 28, 2003. Topping the box office chart also gives Rhythm & Hues some vfx bragging rights as well. Disney's Diane Lane romancer, UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN, debuted in second place with $9.7M. UNDERWORLD, the vampire/werewolf flick from Screen Gems (with vfx from FrameStore CFC and Luma Pictures), plummeted from first to third, with $9.4M for a two-week total of $37M. New Line's SECONDHAND LIONS (with vfx by Digital Domain and Pacific Title) took the fourth spot with $8.2M, good enough for $23.4M in its sophomore outing. Paramount's FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS (with vfx by Illusion Arts) came in fifth with $6.3M and a cume of $20.1M.
Robert Rodriguez' ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO took the sixth spot with $5M. The Sony movie (with vfx by Hybride Technologies) has now compiled $48.9M. The Miramax comedy, DUPLEX, debuted in seventh place with $4.6M. Disney's horror film, COLD CREEK MANOR, came in eighth place with $4.4M in its second outing for a total of $14.6M. Warner Bros.' MATCHSTICK MEN (with vfx supplied by Sony Imageworks) came in ninth with $4.3M and a cume of $30.7M. Focus Features' LOST IN TRANSLATION maintained its hold on 10th place with $3.6M, good enough for a total of $8.6M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
