Weekend Box Office : Appealing to All ‘Generations’

With generations of Trekkers providing a built-in audience, Paramount Pictures’ “Star Trek: Generations” soared to the top of the weekend box-office chart. As science-fiction fans of the intergalactic saga fretted over the future of Capt. James Kirk, the movie did what Paramount had hoped all along: attract moviegoers to a later generation of “Star Trek” heroes, one that may no longer feature Kirk, Spock and the crew of the original Enterprise.

Battling it out for second place were two distinctly different movies that debuted the prior week. When the final figures were in, Warner Bros.’ “Interview With the Vampire” barely edged out Disney’s holiday comedy “The Santa Clause.” Meanwhile, Fox’s competing Santa movie, the John Hughes’ remake of “Miracle on 34th Street,” had a dreadful debut with less than $3 million.

This weekend’s total box office, with 19 releases, was up 61% over the same weekend last year, when there were 18 releases, and up 4% from last weekend.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Star Trek: Generations” $23.1 2,659 1 (Paramount) $26.1* $8,694 2. “Interview With the Vampire” $17.4 2,604 2 (Warner Bros.) $63.6 $6,694 3. “The Santa Clause” $17.1 2,201 2 (Disney) $40.6 $7,786 4. “The Lion King”** $5.5 1,456 1 (Disney) $272.9 $3,784 5. “The Professional” $5.3 1,158 1 (Columbia) $5.3 $4,583 6. “Stargate” $4.4 2,033 4 (MGM) $52.9 $2,171 7. “Pulp Fiction” $3 1,151 6 (Miramax) $48.4 $2,615 8. “Miracle on 34th Street” $2.8 1,190 1 (Fox) $2.8 $2,314 9. “The War” $2.6 1,537 3 (Universal) $13.4 $1,665 10. “The Swan Princess” $2.4 1,403 1 (New Line) $2.4 $1,743

* Includes $3 million from Thursday night special previews on 1,300 screens

** Reissue, Weekend gross total includes all 15 weeks

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.