Weekend Box Office : ‘Anaconda’ Leads April Bonanza

April, usually a sluggish month at the box office, has proven to be exceptionally strong this year with ticket sales up 22% over last year. One of the big surprises is “Anaconda,” which again led the weekend competition with $12 million.

“Murder at 1600,” a White House homicide thriller starring Wesley Snipes, was the top film to open over the weekend at $8 million, but two other movies making their debuts had lackluster results: “McHale’s Navy,” a comedy starring Tom Arnold, took in $2.1 million, while the Joe Pesci comedy “Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag” garnered $2.02 million. *--*

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeksin Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Anaconda” $12.0 2,456 2 (Sony/Columbia) $32.7 $4,892 2. “Liar Liar” $10.1 2,909 5 (Universal) $133.5 $3,485 3. “Murder at 1600” $8.0 2,152 1 (Warner Bros.) $8.0 $3,700 4. “The Saint” $7.2 2,500 3 (Paramount) $41.2 $2,875 5. “Grosse Pointe Blank” $4.7 1,236 2 (Disney/Hollywood) $13.6 $3,843 6. “The Devil’s Own” $2.4 2,004 4 (Sony/Columbia) $39.1 $1,201 7. “McHale’s Navy” $2.1 1,859 1 (Universal) $2.1 $1,145 8. “That Old Feeling” $2.1 1,583 3 (Universal) $13.2 $1,320 9. “Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag” $2.0 1,553 1 (Orion/M.E.G.) $2.0 $1,304 10. “Chasing Amy” $1.6 519 3 (Miramax) $2.2 $3,164

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.