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http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuo...tfh03434_2004-11-28_19-26-57_n28359568_newsml

LOS ANGELES, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Alexander the Great may have conquered millions in his march across the Persian Empire 2,400 years ago but moviegoers in North America easily repelled his advances over the weekend.

"Alexander," director Oliver Stone's three-hour epic starring Irishman Colin Farrell as the youthful Macedonian warrior, opened at No. 6 with ticket sales of just $13.5 million for the three days beginning Friday.

Since opening on Wednesday to get a jump-start on the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, the film has earned $21.6 million from theaters in the United States and Canada -- short of the $25 million hoped for by the film's financier, Intermedia Films.

"Overall it's solid, but it could have been better," Intermedia Chairman and CEO Moritz Borman told Reuters. He cited such negative factors as its lengthy running time and mixed reviews.

Nicolas Cage's action-adventure "National Treasure" was No. 1 for a second weekend with $33.1 million, followed by the animated superhero saga "The Incredibles" with $24.1 million. Their respective totals rose to $87.9 million and $214.7 million.

"National Treasure" lost just 6 percent of its audience from last weekend; most films generally drop about half in their second rounds. "The Incredibles" should finish near the $300 million mark, observers predicted.

Top movies at the North American box office
Sun Nov 28, 2004 01:48 PM ET
LOS ANGELES, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the Nov. 26-28 weekend, led by "National Treasure," according to studio estimates collected on Sunday by Reuters. Final data will be issued on Monday.
1 (1) National Treasure ......... $33.1 million

2 (3) The Incredibles ........... $24.1 million

3 (*) Christmas with the Kranks . $22.7 million

4 (4) The Polar Express ......... $20.1 million

5 (2) SpongeBob SquarePants ..... $17.8 million

6 (*) Alexander .. $13.5 million

7 (5) Bridget Jones ............. $ 6.8 million

8(13) Finding Neverland ......... $ 4.7 million

9 (7) Ray ........ $ 3.9 million

10 (6) After the Sunset .......... $ 3.3 million

NOTE: Last weekend's ranking in parenthesis. "*" = new release. Both "Alexander" and "Christmas with the Kranks" opened on Wednesday.

TOTALS TO DATE

The Incredibles ........... $214.7 million

National Treasure ......... $ 87.9 million

The Polar Express ......... $ 82.2 million

Ray ........ $ 65.0 million

SpongeBob SquarePants ..... $ 58.6 million

Bridget Jones ............. $ 32.5 million

Christmas with the Kranks . $ 32.0 million

After the Sunset .......... $ 24.6 million

Alexander .. $ 21.6 million

Finding Neverland ......... $ 7.8 million

 

[explodet]

Man, if you can't beat "Christmas with the Kranks"...

 

[Duck of Death]

National Treasure is a film that the public seems to be enjoying. I know most of my friends and relatives really liked it.

 

[Littleberu]

National Treasure is a film that the public seems to be enjoying. I know most of my friends and relatives really liked it.

Yeah. It has this way of not taking it too seriously, but at the same time delivering all the action you want. Not the greatest movie, but it's entertaining.

 

[Dan]

A PG Bruckheimer action movie during the holiday season? And people thought it wouldn't do well? It's the perfect counter programming to animated family films. If your kids think they're too hip for animation, take them to the new Nicolas Cage film.

I'd love to see The Incredibles keep on going. I went and saw it again with a couple friends and had a blast just like the first time. I need to go see Sideways too.

 

[Memles]

I would have gone with "'Alexander' assasinated by 'Krank'y, 'Incredible' 'Treasure' Hunters" just to annoy people.

Unsurprising weekend at the Box Office. Kranks performed well as the big Thanksgiving Family Film, Incredibles did the business you would expect for a big cross-age group release, and Treasure continues to be the kind of popcorn flick everyone loves.

Nice to see Polar Express stay up there a bit; hate to see it bomb entirely.

 

[Baron Aloha]

Bomb Bomb!

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Colin Farrell was a casting nightmare IMO. Not sure exactly what Stone was thinking, but I've read that it wasn't his first choice for the role.

 

[Dan]

Well, Warner Bros paid $35 million to distribute Alexander in North America, so combined with marketing costs and future sources of revenue, I bet they'll still pull a profit out of it. I don't really see anyone being significant losers here, if even losers at all.

 

[Wellington]

Well, Warner Bros paid $35 million to distribute Alexander in North America, so combined with marketing costs and future sources of revenue, I bet they'll still pull a profit out of it. I don't really see anyone being significant losers here, if even losers at all.

How much did it cost to actually make the film?

 

[DMczaf]

How much did it cost to actually make the film?

ALEXANDER
Production Budget: $155 million
Est. Marketing Costs: $60 million

:lol

 

[Wellington]

ALEXANDER
Production Budget: $155 million
Est. Marketing Costs: $60 million

:lol

:lol

 

[Matlock]

All that budget, and they couldn't have afforde more than $5 for Colin's wig?

 

[Dan]

$150 million or so. Intermedia might lose out, but I'm not entirely sure how many rights they've retained and whether they have future sources of income from the film. I would assume the do, in addition to selling the film to foreign markets.

 

[DarienA]

National Treasure is a film that the public seems to be enjoying. I know most of my friends and relatives really liked it.

Yup and I'm glad it was alot of fun.

 

[Fresh Prince]

You know why it's because he's gaaaaayyyyyyy
link

 

[Solid]

I saw the movie tonight. I was expecting it to be quite bad and it was. Still ok though, but nothing I will pay full-price for DVD later on.

 

[madara]

Actually from what I read was because they were afriad to do "the gay". At least that what critics said.

 

[Culex]

Blah, just watch After the Sunset. Plenty of gay innuendo in that movie :lol

 

[DarienA]

Blah, just watch After the Sunset. Plenty of gay innuendo in that movie :lol

After the Sunset was a good funny movie... Salma look damn good too.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

im not suprised Alexander bombed. The previews just didn't look interesting at all IMO, certainly not for a mainstream audience. After Gladiator and Troy, i think this "ancient romans/greeks with british accents" genre has been done to death.