..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Kim Voynar
..Michael Wilmington

Stake and Small Fries Van Helsing unleashed an estimated $54.2 million to go way ahead of the class in the start of Hollywood’s summer movie season. The vampire hunter staked out an additional $53 million in 41 international territories for a $100 million plus global debut that bodes well for eventual worldwide theatrical revenues of $300 million. The weekend’s other national opener - the maturing Olsen twin comedy New York Minute - neither worked as counter programming nor advanced the duo’s big screen aspirations. It ranked fourth overall with an anticipated $6.2 million. Far more arresting was the limited bow of the documentary Super Size Me that rang up close to $600,000 and theater averages of $14,000. The frame should tally in at close to $115 million for a nominal 2% boost from the prior weekend and a 12% boost from one year earlier. In 2003, X2 held top spot in its second weekend with $40 million followed by the $27.6 million bow of Daddy Day Care. The 19th ranked picture that weekend was the Quebec opening of The Barbarian Invasions with $460,000 from 134 theaters. It’s gone on to win an Oscar and a worldwide gross approaching $30 million. While the pricey horror adventure Van Helsing opened more or less to expectations domestically, it exceeded overseas projections. Its estimated $53 million was easily UIP/Universal’s biggest ever opening with first place rankings across the board including the U.K. ($9.7 million), Germany ($7.6 million), Spain ($5.1 million), France ($4.1 million), Australia ($3.6 million), Italy ($3.5 million) and Mexico ($2.9 million). Still, prospects of earning back its costs from theatrical exposure appear unlikely and will give the studio pause about prospects for a second outing now that he’s taken care of Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man. Next weekend’s highly anticipated Troy could take a major bite out of Van Helsing not only in North America but in the 49 countries it will open simultaneously. Expectations for the Olsen’s New York Minute, while modest, were still in the low teens and diplomatically 75% greater than reported Sunday. The Twins have been highly successful in a series of direct-to-video movies and Minute’s ancillary business could well determine how quickly they will return to the big screen arena. Continuing titles saw Van Helsing eating up 50% of the marketplace and, graded on the curve, 40% drops were a good result. On that plus side, Mean Girls added $14.5 million in its second weekend and a $43 million cume. However, sophomore sessions of Laws of Attraction, Godsend, Envy and Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius were brutal with none of the quartet remotely approaching an eventual box office of $20 million. Morgan Spurlock's chronicle of his own month long McDonald’s-only diet in Super Size Me was the sort of hot button stunt that was never going to be reality TV fodder. Clever promotion and marketing translated into an excellent opening weekend expected to be close to $600,000. One could quibble that the film went out too wide in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and D.C. resulting in diminished per screens (averages were double in markets playing exclusive engagements). However, there’s a lot to be said about capitalizing on initial heat and building upon it. The remaining pictures launched in regional and specialized fashion were a very eclectic mix. The Boston Red Sox Movie, a documentary account on the team’s 2003 almost pennant season, was launched in 17 Bean Town locations to an impressive $88,000. Still, it’s unlikely the film will play to other than true believers. Also impressive was the revival of the original 1954 Godzilla in its original Japanese incarnation (no Raymond Burr) with 20 minutes of film not previously seen in America. It fired up almost $30,000 in two venues and is stomping toward a theater near you. Argentina’s Oscar submission Valentin had OK results of about $14,000 from two venues but a trio of openers from the American indie sector was lackluster. Lantern Lane launched Seeing Other People in 16 theaters to about $36,000 while Innovation’s 10-screen bow of A Foreign Affair generated a little more than $11,000. Strand’s The Mudge Boy was also eyeing about $11,000 but playing in six fewer locations. - by Leonard Klady