‘Darkman’ Turns Into a Dark Horse Winner

The comic book-inspired “Darkman” was the dark-horse winner at the national box office over the weekend, according to estimates from industry sources today. Meantime, “The Exorcist III,” which led the pack last week, took a nose dive in ticket sales, and a slew of other newcomers did sluggish business.

In its opening weekend, “Darkman,” which arrived with little fanfare and a cast topped by Liam Neeson as a disfigured scientist who assumes the identities of his enemies, collected about $8.5 million in nearly 1,800 theaters. The Universal Pictures release was directed by Sam Raimi.

Other new films drew low numbers during a weekend when box-office numbers were generally sluggish anyway: “Men at Work,” featuring brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen as prankster garbage collectors, did about $3.2 million in 962 theaters; “Witches,” the Jim Henson-produced fantasy starring Anjelica Huston, drew an estimated $2.2 million on nearly 900 screens; the Chuck Norris actioner, “Delta Force II,” drew $1.9 million on about 800 screens, and “Pump Up the Volume,” with Christian Slater as a teen-age pirate radio deejay, did only $1.7 million.

In second place for the third weekend in a row was Paramount’s “Ghost,” continuing to show staying power with the public in its seventh week of release. The romantic fantasy, with $7.5 million in weekend business, is the fourth summer release to top $100 million; “Ghost’s” total is $111.5 million.

Columbia Pictures’ sci-fi fantasy, “Flatliners,” continued in third place, with an estimated $4.9 million for a total of $28 million in three weeks of release. Warner Bros.’ “Presumed Innocent,” starring Harrison Ford, held fourth place with $4.5 million for an estimated total of $57 million in five weeks. Warner’s “My Blue Heaven” with Steve Martin and Rick Moranis dropped to fifth place from fourth, generating $3.8 million in its second weekend.

In limited release, “Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams,” by the master Japanese director, drew a strong $104,000 at five theaters. The 25th anniversary release of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” from 20th Century Fox did a strong $20,000 in one Los Angeles theater.

David Lynch’s controversial “Wild at Heart” took a substantial drop in its second weekend. It grossed an estimated $1.6 million in about 500 theaters, compared to $2.9 million the first week.

Walt Disney Studios reported that “Pretty Woman,” starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, became its highest-grossing movie over the weekend. The movie has brought in $168 million in domestic ticket sales since opening March 23. It surpassed the previous Disney record holder, the 1987 “Three Men and a Baby,” which has grossed $167.8 million to date.