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antiTainment NEWS: 'Van Helsing' a Van Hit as Monsters Mash To Box Office


05-09-04 Keavin
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Scathing reviews didn�t keep moviegoers away from �Van Helsing� this weekend, the popcorn monster flick slayed the competition at the box office with estimated gross ticket sales in North America of $54.2 million. This film brought in just over $50 million outside of North America. 

Writer and Director Stephen Sommers (Mummy, Mummy Returns) still needs more ticket sales for the film to break even for Universal Pictures. �Van Helsing� cost a reported $160 million to produce. 

The studio expected a bigger opening weekend, but some critics expected it to bomb. So in the end, it fell in the middle. 

The Olsen twins "New York Minute" debuted at No. 4 with $6.2 million. Last week�s No. 1 �Mean Girls� fell one spot with ticket sales of $14 million, well ahead of No. 3, �Man on Fire,� and �13 Gong on 30� rounded out the Top 10 with $5.5 million. 

Estimated North American box office Top 10 from Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

1 - "Van Helsing� - $54.2 m
2 - "Mean Girls� - $14 m
3 - "Man on Fire� - $7.9 m
4 - "New York Minute� - $6.2 m
5 - "13 Going on 30� - $5.5 m
6 - "Laws of Attraction� - $3.5 m
7 - "Kill Bill -- Vol - 2� - $3 m
8 - "Godsend� - $2.7 m
9 - "Envy� - $2.6 m
10 - "The Punisher� - $1.2 m .