New Line's much anticipated THE GOLDEN COMPASS opened in less than spectacular fashion with an estimated $26.1M for the weekend ended Dec. 9, 2007. However, that does not mitigate the stellar vfx by Rhythm & Hues Studios, Cinesite, Framestore CFC, Digital Domain, Rainmaker, Peerless Camera, Tippett Studio, Digital Backlot and Matte World Digital.
Slipping to second place was Buena Vista's ENCHANTED, which added $10.7M to its tally of $83.8M (with vfx by Tippett Studio, CIS Hollywood, Reel FX and Weta Digital, as well as 2D animation by Baxter Studio). Holding third was Screen Gems' THIS CHRISTMAS, which brought home $5M for a cume of $42.7M. Moving up two spots to fourth was Warner Bros.' FRED CLAUS (with vfx from MPC, Cinesite, Peerless Camera, Rainmaker UK, among others), which accounted for $4.6M for a total of $65.5M worth of holiday cheer. Paramount's BEOWULF (with vfx and animation from Sony Pictures Imageworks) dropped to fifth with $4.4M and a disappointing cume of $75.9M. Shooting up four notches to sixth was the Oscar-contending NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN from Miramax, which collected $4.2M to add to its total of $28.8M. Holding seventh was Warner Bros.' AUGUST RUSH with $3.5M and $$25.1M. Fox's HITMAN moved down to eighth with $3.4M and $35.8M. AWAKE from MGM/Weinstein Co. followed in ninth with $3.3M and a cume of $10.7M. And the animated BEE MOVIE from Paramount/DreamWorks occupied 10th place with $2.6M and a cume of $121M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
