Weekend Box Office

While “The First Wives Club� continued to dominate the box office for the third week in a row, it’s also been a big week for “Big Night.� The film, produced by Rysher Entertainment for Goldwyn Films, stars Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott, who also direct it, and centers around two Italian-born brothers (Tucci and Tony Shalhoub) struggling to save their lifelong dream of a restaurant in New Jersey. Made for a scant $4 million and a critical favorite, it has also found a place in audience’s hearts, working its way into the Top 10, a rare accomplishment for a low-budget independent film. The per-screen average for “Big Night� was the highest of all the movies at the box office this weekend, just edging out “First Wives Club.� Currently on 251 screens, “Big Night� will expand to 300 theaters Friday.

*--*

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “The First Wives Club� $11.0 2,312 3 (Paramount) $58.5 $4,765 2. “The Glimmer Man� $7.6 2,236 1 (Warner Bros.) $7.6 $3,401 3. “That Thing You Do!� $6.2 1,870 1 (Fox) $6.2 $3,320 4. “D3: The Mighty Ducks� $6.2 2,056 1 (Walt Disney) $6.2 $3,001 5. “Extreme Measures� $4.0 2,298 2 (Sony/Columbia) $12.9 $1,763 6. “2 Days in the Valley� $2.3 855 2 (MGM/UA) $6.9 $2,670 7. “Fly Away Home� $2.0 1,401 4 (Sony/Columbia) $15.9 $1,438 8. “Last Man Standing� $2.0 2,098 3 (New Line) $15.9 $975 9. “Independence Day� $1.5 1,588 14 (Fox) $295.7 $933 10. “Big Night� $1.2 251 3 (Goldwyn) $2.6 $4,767

*--*

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.