A.I. Storms Japan Box Office

While the opening of A.I. didn't make a heavy dent in the box office in its home market, the Steven Spielberg film made its way into the record books in Japan with the biggest number of ticket sales ever during a two day opening. Admissions over the weekend totaled 1,037,879, beating the record set by Star Wars: Episode 1 with 916,540 admissions two summers ago. Lower ticket prices prevented A.I. from picking up the record of box office receipts, held by the Star Wars prequel. 64% of the movie market over the weekend went to the sci-fi pic, grossing $11.6 million.

StudioCanal Goes Universal

StudioCanal, part of the Vivendi Universal empire, will lose its autonomy and be folded into Universal Pictures, representing a reversal of Vivendi chairman Jean-Marie Messier's original plan to keep StudioCanal's interests centered in Europe and separate from Hollywood. StudioCanal will also be taken off the Paris stock exchange only 15 months after it was floated in a move signaling independence. The merger between Universal Pictures and StudioCanal will streamline Vivendi's entertainment arm. StudioCanal, whose execs will relocate to LA, has been a major force in European cinema through co-financing of lauded films such as Cannes winner The Son's Room.

Universal Drives Mulholland to the States

Mulholland Drive, the David Lynch-helmed pic that got him a best director award at Cannes this year, will be making its way to the US by way of Universal Pictures's branch Universal Focus. StudioCanal, recently folded into Universal Pictures, financed the film and sold US distribution rights to Universal Focus. Lynch's other directing credits include The Straight Story, Lost Highway and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The new film, starring Laura Harring, Naomi Watts, Justin Theroux and Ann Miller, will hit theaters by fall.

Pearl Harbor Bombs in Finland

Pearl Harbor's opening in Finland has disappointed distributor Disney, as ticket admissions on opening weekend totaled only 25,000. The lukewarm reception has been a pattern throughout Europe where the film has not performed as well as expected. Finns were tempted away from the theaters on last weekend by the French Grand Prix on television. Even so, film admissions are down 8% from the first six months last year. The most popular foreign movie in the first half of 2001 has been Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with almost 166,000 admissions.

Box Office Ready for Scary Summer

The July 4th holiday in the US heralded the release of Scary Movie 2, prepping the box offices for huge summer returns. With the record for the summer box office receipts set in 1999 at $3 billion, this summer's releases could surpass the threshold. The original Scary Movie grossed $42.5 million in its first weekend and Hollywood is expecting huge returns from the sequel. Other blockbusters are also set for a later summer release including Planet Of The Apes, Jurassic Park III and Rush Hour 2. Ticket sales for this summer are up 6% from last year, with Shrek making the best performance of the season.

Bridge Theater Missing a Few Links

The opening of the Bridge, a new luxury theater in LA, has been delayed and will probably open later this week instead of last weekend, missing the fruitful July 4th holiday. The cinema, delayed by finishing construction, will charge premium ticket prices or $10.50, higher than the other cinemas most expensive admissions at $9, but is marketing the quality food and beverage selection. A "directors hall" cinema is still planned with leather seats, live entertainment before the movie--and an extra $3 added onto the ticket price.