(AP) "Hollywood affiche une forme olympique ce week-end. Les 12 premiers
films du box-office totalisent en effet 179,2 millions de dollars (113,5
millions d'euros), soit 22% de plus que le même week-end de l'année
dernière, quand "Ratatouille" de Pixar démarrait avec 47 millions de dollars
(29,8 millions d'euros).

    "Il s'agit du cinquième week-end consécutif de hausse des recettes. Les
gains pour la saison estivale qui s'est ouverte le 2 mai sont en hausse de
six pour cent par rapport à la même période de 2007, selon l'institut Media
By Numbers.

    "L'économie en berne et les prix élevés du pétrole contribuent
probablement au succès d'Hollywood, a estimé Paul Dergarabedian, président
de Media By Numbers. L'industrie du cinéma a tendance à prospérer quand les
temps sont durs parce qu'aller voir un film revient relativement moins cher
qu'assister à un événement sportif, voir un concert ou faire d'autres
sorties." ( http://fr.movies.yahoo.com/29062008/9/30062008002725.html )


=> Lire également : http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988335.html

    Mid-range films are helping to fuel a surge at the 2008 domestic box
office that virtually no one expected. To date, this summer's revenues are
running ahead of summer 2007 -- the best on record -- by 4%. This past
weekend was up a hearty 20% over the same frame last year, thanks to
"Wall-E" and the action-packed "Wanted," both of which exceeded
expectations.
    Average gross for the top 10 films so far this season is dead even
with last year at $149.2 million.
    But the average gross of films ranking Nos. 11-20 is $36.7 million.
Last year, the average gross was $22 million, underscoring the difference
it can make when films down the food chain perform well.
    Broad comedies "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" and "Get Smart" have
done solid business, while women turned "Sex and the City" into a runaway
hit. (All three films are on the top 10 chart for the summer to date).
    Eco-thriller "The Happening" and horror pic "The Strangers" also have
outperformed expectations, grossing $59.1 million and $51.5 million,
respectively.
    Last summer, horror sequel "Hostel: Part II" fell flat after its June
bow, grossing $17.5 million through the end of June. Female-skewing title
"Georgia Rule" likewise failed to make nice with its aud, grossing $18.9
million after opening in early May.
    Romancers are doing far better this summer, and not just "Sex and the
City." Fox's "What Happens in Vegas" ranks No. 8 on the current summer box
office chart, with a cume of $78.3 million. Sony's "Made of Honor" comes
in at No. 14 with a cume of $46 million.
    Family films are also prospering.
    Paramount's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,"
which has played heavily to families, topped the $300 million mark at the
domestic box office on Monday.
    Over the weekend, Disney-Pixar's "Wall-E" opened to $63 million, the
third best opening ever for a Pixar film and well ahead of last summer's
$47 million opening of Disney-Pixar's "Ratatouille," which went on to cume
a robust $206.4 million domestically. "Kung Fu Panda" has grossed $179.3
million to date.
    For U's "Wanted," action combined with Angelina Jolie's name on the
marquee led to a boffo $50.9 million opening -- the sixth best of all time
for an R-rated pic.
    On the superhero front, Paramount's "Iron Man" is the top-grossing
film of the year, with a cume of $309.2 million. Universal and Marvel's
reboot "The Incredible Hulk" has been a hit with fanboys, cuming $115.8
million to date. Although "The Incredible Hulk" isn't likely to cume much
more than Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk," which grossed roughly $132 million
domestically, U says that's good enough to signal a new film franchise.
    Ask distributors and exhibs and they'll say that the summer is working
because films are hitting their targets, be they big event titles like
"Iron Man" or more audience-specific titles like "Sex and the City."
    Others suggest the sagging economy and skyrocketing gas prices are
causing people to cancel summer travel plans. The next best option becomes
a trip to the multiplex.
    "There have been excellent movies in every genre. That is the key to
overall box office health," said Par prexy of worldwide distribution and
marketing Rob Moore. "Every segment of the audience has turned out a hit."

With "Crystal Skull's" new cume of $300 million, Paramount has now released
six titles since the beginning of summer 2007 that crossed the $300 million
mark domestically, reflecting the strength of the studio's marketing and
distribution team. "Crystal Skull" is only the second film of 2008 to reach
$300 million after "Iron Man."

The overall strength of the 2008 summer slate has helped to make up for weak
links, including "Speed Racer" and "The Love Guru."

Generally speaking, summer 2007 was more cluttered, with more wide releases
crowded into one weekend. Many mid-range and genre pics fell by the wayside,
including "Mr. Brooks" ($27 million), "28 Weeks Later" ($28.4 million) and
"Fracture" ($15.8 million).

This go-round, studios were more careful about limiting the number of wide
releases each weekend to two and, in some cases, three, giving movies more
of a chance to breathe and reach their target aud. (Calendar does get more
crowded in August.)

Last summer's B.O. boom had the benefit of three-quels and sequels.
Paramount's "Transformers" was the only original film among the top five
grossers, earning $310.6 million domestically.

With a 2008 slate sporting many more original titles, Hollywood was worried
it wouldn't be able to replicate the box office success of last summer. Yet
it's done just that so far, although it's not clear whether summer 2008 will
be able to end ahead of summer 2007.