‘Deep Impact’ Exceeds Expectations

Summer may still be around the corner, but “Deep Impact,” a summer-like action movie, debuted with a bang, sweeping past all competition with $41.2 million to capture first place.

“We had an inkling it was going to do in the 30s--how much into the 30s we weren’t sure of,” said Robert Friedman, vice chairman of Paramount’s Motion Picture Group. As it turned out, “Deep Impact” had the highest May three-day opening ever, beating out “Twister,” which opened with $41.1 million on May 10, 1996.

“Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men,” “Artemisia” and “The Kingdom, Part 2” opened in limited release.

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Deep Impact” $41.2 3,156 1 (Paramount/DreamWorks) $41.2 $13,039 2. “City of Angels” $4.7 2,433 5 (Warner Bros.) $61.9 $1,939 3. “He Got Game” $3.7 1,322 2 (Disney/Touchstone) $13.2 $2,807 4. “Titanic” $3.2 2,256 21 (Paramount/Fox) $569.8 $1,409 5. “Les Miserables” $2.8 1,477 2 (Sony/Columbia) $9.1 $1,864 6. “Paulie” $2.6 1,812 4 (DreamWorks) $18.3 $1,479 7. “Woo” $2.5 625 1 (New Line) $2.5 $4,028 8. “The Big Hit” $2.33 2,149 3 (Sony/TriStar) $23.2 $1,085 9. “Black Dog” $2.3 2,050 2 (Universal) $8.3 $1,115 10. “The Object $2.1 1,818 4 of My Affection” (Fox) $24.9 $1,155 * “Louisa May $77,924 111 1 Alcott’s Little Men” (Legacy) $77,924 $702 **”Artemisia” $32,941 4 1 (Miramax) $32,941 $8,235 ***”The Kingdom, $8,294 2 1 Part 2” (October) $9,263 $4,147

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.