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''Santa Clause 2'' tops the box office | 145651__santabo_l
'CLAUSE' AND EFFECT Allen's Christmas-themed comedy likely benefited from the lack of family-friendly competition
The Santa Clause 2: Joseph Lederer
By Dave Karger
Dave Karger
Dave Karger
Dave Karger, a senior writer at EW, also reports on box office and other movie- related matters on NBC's ''Today''

So what if Halloween was just a few days ago? Thanks to ''The Santa Clause 2,'' it felt like Christmastime at movie theaters this weekend, as Tim Allen's family-film sequel premiered with $29 million, according to studio estimates.

''Santa'' was not a sure-thing No. 1 opener, coming a full eight years after the first ''Santa Clause'' movie and years since Allen's ''Home Improvement'' was a prime-time hit. But thanks to the Disney name and a lack of current family-friendly films, ''Clause 2'' not only beat the $19.3 debut of the first ''Santa Clause,'' but it also topped the box office TOTALS of Allen's last two movies, ''Joe Somebody'' ($22.8 million) and ''Big Trouble'' ($7.1 million).

Holding beautifully in second place was the Naomi Watts horror flick ''The Ring,'' which added 174 theaters and thrilled enough post-Halloween fans to equal its $18.5 million take from last weekend. Its three-week total is now an impressive $64.9 million. At this rate it should have no trouble breaking $100 million.

The news wasn't so good for ''I Spy.'' The action comedy starring Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson could only manage a $14 million debut despite opening in more than 3,000 theaters. Audiences simply weren't drawn in by the film's aimless, unfunny TV ads. While not a ''Pluto Nash''-size disaster, ''Spy'' will certainly not measure up to the hits of Murphy's recent (''The Nutty Professor'') and not-so-recent (''Beverly Hills Cop'') past.

Placing fourth in its second weekend was ''Jackass the Movie,'' which fell a predictable 43 percent from last week to gross another $13.1 million, bringing its 10-day total to a strong $42.5 million. And last week's disappointing debut ''Ghost Ship'' also slipped 43 percent to $6.6 million; its total is only $21.3 million. Just below the top five was ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding,'' whose $5.6 million take brought its total to $185.2 million, making it the highest-grossing film ever not to claim the No. 1 box office slot. (The record was held by 1990's ''Dances With Wolves,'' which grossed $184.2 million.) So it might not be the most coveted box office record out there, but it's a record nonetheless. Opa!


Posted Nov 03, 2002 | Order Article Reprints