'Erin' rocks U's April market share victory
Three other pics score big
With "Erin Brockovich," "The Skulls," "U-571" and "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" all logging major release time, U posted $131.8 million for the month, according to Sunday’s estimates.
That repped a healthy 24.5% share, nearly double the 13.1% belonging to Disney. For the year to date, U trails only the Mouse House in the annual market share rankings.
"Brockovich" was the month’s top title, grossing $51 million to edge Paramount’s "Rules of Engagement" by $700,000. In third was DreamWorks’ "The Road to El Dorado." Thanks to that animated pic and multiple Oscar wins that boosted "American Beauty," DreamWorks was No. 3 for April, with 11.5% of the market.
On the strength of pics such as "Final Destination" and "Love & Basketball," New Line notched another fine month, with $52.8 million. That beat totals for Sony, Fox, MGM and USA.
"Brockovich" has been the lone big gun of 2000 to date, and the sheer depth of product has some B.O. observers describing the year as soft. Yet spring receipts are up about 8% over last year’s and the overall tally is 9% ahead.
And don’t forget, summer is just days away. Friday is the launch date for DreamWorks’ "Gladiator" (in which U is a partner) and Sony’s "I Dreamed of Africa."
U distrib chief Nikki Rocco decries the "summer mindset," preferring to think of the year as 52 equal weekends.
Asked if a stellar March and April would serve as a springboard for summer, Rocco recoiled. "Our goal is to provide good product year-round," she said. "My summer began in March."
(Anthony D’Alessandro contributed to this report.)
