Chinese School - 'The Bourne Ultimatum' earns $70 million

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






'The Bourne Ultimatum' earns $70 million


(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-06 08:50





?

Universal Pictures provided this photo of Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in
'The Bourne Ultimatum.' [AP]

Superspy Jason Bourne delivered more than an ultimatum this weekend as
the third in a series of spy thrillers topped box office charts and
delivered the biggest August opening of a film ever.

"The Bourne Ultimatum" took in $70.2 million this weekend, far surpassing
the openings of both of the earlier Bourne films based on novels by
Robert Ludlum.

The opening also pushed last week's top film, "The Simpsons Movie," to
second place, with $25.6 million. The big-screen version of the animated
TV show has topped $315 million worldwide for distributor Twentieth
Century Fox.

"We're really riding high today," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution
for Universal Pictures, which put out "The Bourne Ultimatum." "The
reviews and audiences rated this one the best one yet."

The second in the series, "The Bourne Supremacy," earned $52.5 million in
its opening weekend in 2004, while the first film, "The Bourne Identity,"
had an opening weekend take of $27.1 million when it debuted in 2002.

Universal's research showed that more than 90 percent of the opening
weekend audience had seen the previous two Bourne films.

"People just love Matt Damon and (director) Paul Greengrass is a
superstar," Rocco said. "Matt Damon is the new James Bond."

The film's opening bodes well for a robust August, which is typically
when the sweltering summer movie season begins to cool off a bit.

"The summer movie season is alive and well even as we are moving into the
home stretch," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker
Media By Numbers. "The Bourne franchise just keeps getting better with
age. The consistency of quality has always been there with the Bourne
movies. That builds loyalty among viewers."

This weekend's top 12 films earned a whopping 36 percent more than the
top 12 did in the same weekend last year.

So far this year, the box office is up 6 percent with revenues of $6.073
billion, while attendance is up 1.42 percent.

"Underdog," Disney's live-action version of the animated crimefighter who
speaks in rhyme, debuted in third place with $12 million.

The weekend's other openers didn't bark quite as loud.

"Hot Rod," a comedy from Paramount, earned $5 million.

"Bratz," a live-action comedy from Lionsgate based on the popular line of
dolls, took in $4.3 million.

While it finished out of the top 12, "Becoming Jane," from Miramax, the
story of author Jane Austen starring Anne Hathaway, took in $1 million on
100 screens for an impressive average of $10,100 per screen in its
opening weekend.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian
theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be
released Monday.

1. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $70.2 million.

2. "The Simpsons Movie," $25.6 million.

3. "Underdog," $12 million.

4. "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," $10.5 million.

5. "Hairspray," $9.3 million.

6. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," $9.3 million.

7. "No Reservations," $6.6 million.

8. "Transformers," $6 million.

9. "Hot Rod," $5 million.

10. "Bratz," $4.3 million.

?























Top Entertaiment News ?




* Pitt and Jolie to feature on Aussie Post stamp
* Michelle Pfeiffer treads Hollywood 'walk of fame'
* Forbes: Damon's a `Bourne' moneymaker
* Madonna is told her little African baby may have to return home
* Jennifer Aniston promoted to management





Today's Top News ?




* Foreign media enjoy greater access in China: FM
* Taliban warn of more kidnappings
* Economist: China to keep inflation in check
* Law on personal info 'next year'
* China bans stiff family planning slogans





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Free Chinese Lesson, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet