Weekend Box Office : Filmgoers Make ‘Contact’ Despite Drop

With box office down for the third straight week, attendance is off 8% from last summer. This gap is expected to close in the upcoming weeks, however, since moviegoers won’t be tuning into the Olympics as they did in 1996. “Contact,” a sci-fi drama, opened strong--especially given the continued dominance of “Men in Black.” “A Simple Wish,” a family film starring Martin Short, had a disappointing debut.

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Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Men in Black” $30.1 3,020 2 (Columbia) $139.6 $9,954 2. “Contact” $20.6 1,923 1 (Warner Bros.) $20.6 $10,705 3. “Face/Off” $12.3 2,851 3 (Paramount) $71.8 $4,326 4. “Hercules” $8.34 2,930 5 (Walt Disney) $66.5 $2,846 5. “My Best Friend’s Wedding” $8.32 2,343 4 (TriStar) $83.5 $3,552 6. “Out to Sea” $4.2 1,736 2 (Fox) $14.7 $2,394 7. “Batman & Robin” $4.1 2,701 4 (Warner Bros.) $98.8 $1,513 8. “Con Air” $2.9 1,684 6 (Disney/Touchstone) $89.9 $1,717 9. “A Simple Wish” $2.7 1,676 1 (Universal) $2.7 $1,630 10. “Lost World: Jurassic Park” $1.4 1,422 8 (Universal) $221.1 $950 * “Shall We Dance?” $88,106 5 1 (Miramax) $88,106 $17,621

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

* The Japanese ballroom dancing comedy “Shall We Dance?” got off to a promising start, averaging $17,621 on each of five screens.