‘Sixth Sense’ Pulls Big Dollars and Cents

“The Sixth Sense� scared up another $25.8 million at the box office in its second weekend. The Bruce Willis ghost story set in Philadelphia has taken in $69.7 million in just 10 days. The Steve Martin-Eddie Murphy comedy, “Bowfinger,� placed second with $18.2 million in its opening weekend. The Universal release becomes the highest-grossing comedy opener for August, as well as Martin’s biggest opener in his two-decade film career.

The only other new movie to place in the Top 10 was Fox’s “Brokedown Palace.� The drama stalled with just $3.9 million for ninth place. In its fifth weekend, “The Blair Witch Project� crossed the $100-million mark with a total gross of $107.3 million.

Weekend Box Office

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “The Sixth Sense� $25.8 2,395 2 (Hollywood) $69.7 $10,758 2. “Bowfinger� $18.1 2,706 1 (Universal) $18.1 $6,675 3. “The Blair Witch Project� $14.5 2,412 5 (Artisan) $107.3 $6,012 4. “Runaway Bride� $13.8 3,212 3 (Paramount) $98.0 $4,283 5. “The Thomas Crown Affair� $10.1 2,427 2 (MGM/UA) $31.0 $4,150 6. “Deep Blue Sea� $6.7 2,710 3 (Warner Bros.) $57.1 $2,455 7. “Inspector Gadget� $6.0 2,591 4 (Disney) $76.0 $2,332 8. “Mystery Men� $4.7 2,142 2 (Universal) $19.3 $2,200 9. “Brokedown Palace� $3.9 1,740 1 (Fox) $3.90 $2,225 10. “The Iron Giant� $3.8 2,179 2 (Warner Bros.) $12.6 $1,720

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.