Sun shrinks 'Mummy'
Italians ignore sequel for sunshine, Silvio
The Universal/UIP release unwrapped a tad under $2 million in three days on 392 screens in Italy. Theaters were virtually empty Friday night as folks stayed home to watch a televised debate between the main contenders.
Saturday business for Stephen Sommers' pic, however, was 15% ahead of that for the first "Mummy," and the Sunday figures were about even, so U/UIP is hoping for strong weekday numbers. As it was, the thriller accounted for 70% of the top 10's box office Friday-Sunday. Pic's predecessor wound up grossing a terrif $15.7 million in Italy, which suggests the second outing has the potential to equal or better that.
"The Mummy Returns" minted $2.7 million in four days on 349 Down Under -- 43% higher than the original (which launched on 256) and UIP's fourth-biggest opening there behind "Mission: Impossible II," "Gladiator" and "The Lost World: Jurassic Park." The Brendan Fraser/Rachel Weisz headliner commanded 61% of the top 20 titles' receipts in Oz, facing no serious competition.
B.O. in the U.K. plunged by 60% over the weekend and the attrition rate was even higher in Germany. After a solid but far from outstanding world preem in Blighty, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" tumbled by 53%, ringing up $1.1 million on 379, bringing the 10-day tally to $5.1 million.
The Nicolas Cage/Penelope Cruz starrer was a distant second behind "Bridget Jones's Diary," which earned $1.9 million in its fifth lap on 451 (off 51%), cuming a stellar $42.4 million. Aussie hit "The Dish" opened with a soft $309,000 on 187.
Lee Tamahori's "Along Came a Spider" wove a mediocre $550,000 in five days on 201 in France (No. 2 behind local click "Amelie From Montmartre" in its third round) and an OK $143,000 in two days on 45 in Taiwan (ranking No. 1), but pic was blah in Belgium.
Miramax's "Dracula 2000" placed third in France with a toothless $458,000 on 318; cume is a skimpy $8.8 million from 25 territories.
"The Wedding Planner" clung to pole position in Germany, despite a 58% drop, raking in $2.6 million in 11 days, and entered Mexico in second spot (behind local rookie "The Second Heir") with a decent $540,000 on 200, just 11% below "My Best Friend's Wedding." But the Jennifer Lopez starrer hasn't won many hearts in the rest of Latin America, where it's pocketed just $1.7 million. "Men of Honor" bombed in Germany ($391,000 on 330); cume reached $26 million.
Spain drain
As a barometer of the B.O. depression in Spain, Fox's comedy "Say It Isn't So" ruled in its second outing, fetching $565,000 on 224 (down a modest 18%), yocking up $1.4 million in 10 days.
New Line's "15 Minutes" topped the chart in Argentina, clocking a muscular $458,000 in four days on 47. Cume is $19.2 million and could catch domestic's unimpressive $24.3 million after bows this weekend in Japan and Australia.
Jean-Jacques Annaud's "Enemy at the Gates" captured a ho-hum $144,000 in four days on 16 in Hong Kong and was buried on 15 screens in Argentina.
