WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : A Nice Little Start for ‘Turtles’

Given the $25.4 million that “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” grossed during its shocking opening weekend a year ago, some industry insiders were predicting that the sequel might do twice as well when it opened. But when the final figures were in Monday, the grosses for “Turtles II” were down about $5 million from last year’s opening, which means there’s little chance the sequel will come very close to the original’s $133-million run. Still, “Turtles II’s” $20-million take tripled that of the No. 2 film, “The Silence of the Lambs.”

* Albert Brooks’ new purgatory comedy, “Defending Your Life,” got off to a strong start despite widely mixed reviews, grossing $92,622 at three theaters.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average 1. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II” $20 2,868 (New Line) $20 $6,984 2. “Silence of the Lambs” $6.7 1,608 (Orion) $78.3 $4,159 3. “New Jack City” $4.4 905 (Universal) $22.2 $4,915 4. “Class Action” $4.3 1,108 (Fox) $9.8 $3,857 5. “Sleeping With the Enemy” $4 1,517 (Fox) $73.9 $1,640 * “Defending Your Life” $92,622 3 (Warner Bros.) $92,622 $30,874

Weeks in Movie (Studio) Release 1. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II” 1 (New Line) 2. “Silence of the Lambs” 6 (Orion) 3. “New Jack City” 3 (Universal) 4. “Class Action” 2 (Fox) 5. “Sleeping With the Enemy” 7 (Fox) * “Defending Your Life” 1 (Warner Bros.)

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.