Weekend Box Office : ‘Exhale’ Blows Down the Competition

“Waiting to Exhale,” about four middle-class African American women, was the surprise winner in one of the most competitive moviegoing weeks of the year, easily dominating seven other new entries. Taking in more than $14 million during the four-day holiday weekend, the film pulled in women, both African American and white, for one of the top 10 December openings ever.

“Toy Story” outdistanced other contenders in a crowded children’s market, including the new “Balto” ($1.5 million) and “Tom and Huck,” while “Jumanji” held its own. “Grumpier Old Men” took in double in four days what the original grossed in three.

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Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Waiting to Exhale” $14.1 1,253 1 (Fox) $14.1 $11,274 2. “Toy Story” $12.1 2,522 5 (Walt Disney) $115.7 $4,803 3. “Jumanji” $10.6 2,530 2 (TriStar) $27.7 $4,195 4. “Grumpier Old Men” $7.8 1,995 1 (Warner Bros.) $7.8 $3,909 5. “Heat” $7.3 1,325 3 (Warner Bros.) $20.0 $5,521 6. “Father of the Bride Part II” $7.0 2,061 2 (Disney/Touchstone) $31.9 $3,421 7. “Sabrina” $6.0 1,976 2 (Paramount) $14.6 $3,051 8. “Sudden Death” $4.8 1,681 1 (Universal) $4.8 $2,845 9. “Tom and Huck” $3.2 1,609 1 (Walt Disney) $3.2 $1,995 10. “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” $2.7 1,425 1 (Columbia) $2.7 $1,901 * “Nixon” $2.2 514 1 (Disney/Hollywood) $2.9 $4,293

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* Per screen, Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” outpaced MGM’s struggling “Cutthroat Island,” which took in $2.8 million ($700,000 more than reported in Monday’s Calendar) in much wider release.

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.