4/5 #1 "LOST IN SPACE" $5,118,000 Total: $20,155,000
4/5 #2 "TITANIC"............. $2,727,000 Total: $530,407,000

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), April 06, 1998

Answers

SPACE SHIP SINKS BOAT

After 15 weeks, Titanic finally lost its place at the top of the box office to Lost in Space, the movie version of the '60s TV series that opened to almost universally negative reviews Friday. Space earned an extraordinary $20.5 million (against $11.6 million for Titanic), breaking a box-office record for April. In an interview with the Associated Press, Al Shapiro, New Line Cinema's distribution chief boasted that if Lost in Space had "opened six weeks ago, Titanic would not have lasted as long as it has. The special effects are beyond compare and [audiences] are applauding at the end of the show."

The weekend top-ten, according to studio estimates:
.
1. Lost in Space, New Line, $20.5 million; 2. Titanic, Fox-Paramount, $11.6 million; 3. Mercury Rising, Universal, $10.8 million; 4. Grease, Paramount, $5.5 million; 5. Primary Colors, Universal, $4.7 million; 6. Wild Things, Sony/Columbia $3.7 million; 7. The Man in the Iron Mask, MGM, $3.5 million; 8. As Good as it Gets, Sony/TriStar, $3.4 million; 9. Good Will Hunting, Miramax, $3.3 million; 10. The Newton Boys, Fox, $2.4 million. Neil Jordan's The Butcher Boy, which was the best reviewed opener on Friday, earned $117,000 in nine theaters, or $13,000 per screen.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), April 06, 1998.

Hi Dan: Well, it was inevitable! However, I'm suprised that this film was the one that did it. I will be interested to see how long this holds up though and would not be overly shocked to see the "T" rise to the surface once again! I didn't even like the 60's series. (I think I just dated myself!).

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), April 06, 1998.

Dream on, Al Shipiro. No one will remember "Lost in Space" in 16 weeks, much less be able to see it without a trip to the local video store. "Lost in Space" has gotten terrible reviews, and once the word-of-mouth hits, this movie will sink quickly.

-- Dan Dalton (DDalton2@prodigy.net), April 06, 1998.

I agree!! Lost in Space, (like the others, Man in the Iron Mask---no offense Leo) had big opening weekends, but hopefully, this sci fi flick, like the others, will "sink" after this week too. Then once again, Titanic will be #1 and soaring high. This may not happen, but there is a good chance it will, and I for one am rooting for it.

Shapiro? Which movie are you talking about? Have you SEEN Titanic? I hate this movie even more now. (Lost in Space)I hope that by week's end, it does exactly that---gets "lost in space"

Thanks Dan for keeping us updated, and lets hope for a speedy recovery for the great ship and love story, by April 14th.

-- jodi (jodiscott@msn.com), April 07, 1998.