The Bruce Willis mob-edy about a hit man mixing with hoi polloi is the perfect symbol of a profitable yet sleepy 2000. With a studio-estimated $9.6 million, the Franchise Pictures co-production became the third pic of the year to win a weekend without grossing $10 million.
"Nine" notched its second straight B.O. title against a field of long-legged Oscar nominees ("American Beauty," "The Cider House Rules"), durable family films ("Snow Day," "The Tigger Movie") and shoddy debuts ("Reindeer Games," "Wonder Boys").
"It's a remarkable hold," said WB distrib chief Dan Fellman of the film's 30% drop from last week's holiday frame. "It shows that the audience has expanded from who was going the first week."
With humble pics such as "Next Friday" and "Eye of the Beholder" winning weekend races, even veteran observers are surprised that the overall B.O. is creeping close to $1 billion -- 9% ahead of last year's pace.
Despite the modest total for "Nine," EDI estimates the overall business at $90 million, a 13% gain over the $79.4 million take in the comparable 1999 frame.
Against such a backdrop, the misfires stood out.
Lump of coal for 'Reindeer'
Auds clearly didn't want to play in Miramax's "Reindeer Games." Pic had been bounced around the release sked and even at one point retitled "Deception," managed just $8 million in its debut.
Third-place launch isn't surprising for helmer John Frankenheimer, but it's a stumble for topliner Ben Affleck.
Though it's an entirely different kind of film, Paramount's adult comedy "Wonder Boys" repped a similar disappointment for a major star. Michael Douglas, playing an unusually frowzy character, couldn't parley strong reviews into B.O., though pic's $4,629 per-screen average led all major releases.
Par plans to boost "Boys'" screen count to about 1,500 from 1,253 in debut frame. Wednesday bow on 10 screens in Gotham, L.A. and Chi netted $45,000, putting cume of Curtis Hanson-directed pic at $5.9 million.
Let it 'Snow'
On the flip side for Par, "Snow Day" is schussing its way to an eventual $60 million after finishing second in its third weekend with $8.5 million. Nickelodeon Films release also can look forward to a rich cup of ancillary hot cocoa.
"Snow" has been a strong Sunday performer due to its kiddie draw. It also was the top-grossing pic on Presidents Day. That pattern could shrink the margin between it and "Nine" once final results are tallied today .
Sony's "Hanging Up" endured a predictable 45% slip in Week 2, registering $7.5 million. Distrib chief Jeff Blake sees a break-even final cume on either side of $50 million.
Subdued limited-release circuit saw debuts of "The Closer You Get," "Judy Berlin" and "Mifune."
Fox Searchlight's "Closer" took in $45,000 in 10 locations. Sony Classics' "Mifune," a Dogma entry helmed by Soren Kragh-Jacobsen, grossed $28,717 on two Gotham screens.
The Shooting Gallery's "Judy" tallied $59,436 in 19 locations, for an average of $3,128.
Entering its fifth week, "The Cup" has stuffed $450,000 into Fine Line's till. It added 23 sites for a total of 35, and collected $121,000.
Contact the Variety newsroom at
news@variety.com