Weekend Box Office : ‘Ninja Turtles’ Are Still Power Dudes

Cowabunga dude! Those popular turtles captured the top box-office spot for the second week, pulling in an estimated $7.3 million with their third movie adventure, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Turtles Are Back . . . In Time.” The film isn’t pulling in the kids as fast as its predecessors, but it easily dominated a weekend when the only big opening was Hollywood Pictures’ No. 2 “Born Yesterday,” which grossed about $5.8 million.

The box-office bright spot was for Academy Award contenders. People seemed to be rushing to see “The Crying Game” before everyone knows the secret. The film leaped from No. 7 last week to No. 4, bringing its 18-week total to $47.3 million.

Other best picture nominees show a slight upturn as well. “Scent of a Woman” came in at No. 11, drawing about $1.3 million, a 10% increase. A re-issued “Unforgiven” drew $855,188, about 52% higher than last week. “Howards End” earned $837,562 and “A Few Good Men” made $778,322.

Weekend Box Office

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” $7.3 2,087 2 (New Line) $22.8 $3,548 2. “Born Yesterday” $5.9 1,297 1 (Hollywood) $5.9 $4,558 3. “Point of No Return” $5.5 1,659 2 (Warner Bros.) $15.2 $3,321 4. “The Crying Game” $3.4 1,001 18 (Miramax) $47.3 $3,396 5. “Groundhog Day” $3.0 1,726 7 (Columbia) $57.6 $1,741 6. “Hear No Evil” $2.6 1,430 1 (20th Century Fox) $2.6 $1,847 7. “Fire in the Sky” $2.4 1,435 3 (Paramount) $15.9 $1,678 8. “Falling Down” $2.4 1,659 5 (Warner Bros.) $34.2 $1,557 9. “CB4” $1.9 1,203 3 (Universal) $14.7 $1,540 10. “Far Off Place” $1.7 1,451 3 (Walt Disney) $10.6 $1,187

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co. and industry