‘Grinch’ Set to Steal Box Office Crown

After only four weeks in release, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has already amassed $195.6 million in domestic box office. It’s an almost sure bet to become the biggest-grossing box office film of the year.

This past weekend, “Grinch” topped the charts again, raking in $18.6 million and putting a damper on the debuts of Columbia Pictures’ mountain-climbing thrill ride, “Vertical Limit” ($15.5 million), the high-powered pairing of Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan in Warner Bros.’ kidnapping adventure, “Proof of Life” ($10.2 million), and New Line Cinema’s dark fantasy “Dungeons & Dragons” ($7.2 million).

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” in limited release in New York, took in a phenomenal $41,450 per screen. “Boys Life 3” and “Snatch” also debuted in limited release.

Weekend Box Office

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” $18.6 3,182 4 (Universal) $195.6 $5,860 2. “Vertical Limit” $15.5 2,307 1 (Sony/Columbia) $15.5 $6,722 3. “Proof of Life” $10.2 2,705 1 (Warner Bros.) $10.2 $3,774 4. “Unbreakable” $7.5 2,682 3 (Disney/Touchstone) $77.4 $2,811 5. “Dungeons & Dragons” $7.2 2,078 1 (New Line) $7.2 $3,483 6. “102 Dalmatians” $6.2 2,704 3 (Disney) $44.3 $2,305 7. “Rugrats in Paris” $4.0 2,840 4 (Paramount) $60.5 $1,392 8. “Meet the Parents” $3.0 1,934 10 (Universal) $157.1 $1,565 9. “Charlie’s Angels” $2.63 2,204 6 (Sony/Columbia) $119.3 $1,192 10.”Bounce” $2.6 2,028 4 (Miramax) $34.1 $1,278 “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” $663,205 16 1 (Sony Classics) $663,205 $41,450 “Boys Life 3” $28,487 7 1 (Universal) $28,487 $4,070 “Snatch” * $27,932 1 1 (Sony/Screen Gems) $37,662 $27,932

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* Opened Wednesday

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.