'Electra'-fying competition faces 'Fockers'
{{byline|date=January 14, 2005|location=U.S. and Canada}} North American movie box offices were dominated  by Universal pictures last weekend as two of its films, a comedy, ''Meet the Fockers'', and a horror flick, ''White Noise'', together raked in a combined $52.6 million, more than half the $98.3 all films made over the Jan. 7 weekend, according to film tracking firm Box Office Mojo.

But Universal's dominance of the North American box office receipts is in danger as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Brothers and Sony all have films debuting in wide release Friday.

===New to wide release this week===
 
After a two-week drought of new releases with ''Noise'' the only debut, the Jan. 14 weekend is relatively crowded as three new films bow and one Oscar-buzz movie expands into wide release.

* '''''Elektra ''(PG-13) [1:37]''' Among the new entries is the [[W:Jennifer Garner|Jennifer Garner]] star vehicle ''[[W:Elektra (movie)|Elektra]]'' a semi-sequel to 2003's comic-book based ''Daredevil'' where Garner reprise a role of anti-hero. ''Elektra'' bows in 3,204 theatres.

* '''''Coach Carter'' (PG-13) [2:14]:''' Paramount pictures releases the 134-minute metaphor heavy ''[[w:Coach Carter|Coach Carter]]'', a production of MTV Pictures, featuring [[w:Samuel L. Jackson|Samuel L. Jackson]] in an inspirational inner-city high school sports movie. ''Coach Carter'' will debut in 2,524 U.S. and Canadian movie houses.

* '''''Racing Stripes'' (PG) [1:24]:''' Warner Bros. also enters the debut fray with its live-action talking animal family movie, ''[[w:Racing Stripes|Racing Stripes]]'', featuring the voices from such a diverse cast as [[w:Snoop Dogg|Snoop Dogg]], [[w:Mandy Moore|Mandy Moore]] and [[w:Dustin Hoffman|Dustin Hoffman]]. ''Racing Stripes'' starts its run with 3,185 venues.

*'''''House of Flying Daggers'' (PG-13) [1:59]:''' Sony Pictures Classics is expanding its [[w:Wire fu|wire fu]] Chinese war epic, ''[[w:House of Flying Daggers|House of Flying Daggers]]''. The film has made it to several critics best-of-the-year lists and is considered a front runner for Academy Award nominations in several technical categories.

==Wide release films for the weekend of Jan. 14==
The following films will be playing in at least 1,000 U.S. and Canada venues:

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{| border="1"
|+ valign=bottom align=left| ''Source: Box Office Mojo''
!style="background:#9FCC9F;"| '''Rank'''
!style="background:#9FCC9F;"| '''Title'''
!style="background:#9FCC9F;"| '''Studio/Distributor'''
!style="background:#9FCC9F;"| '''Theatre Count'''
!style="background:#9FCC9F;"| '''Change'''
|-
| 1. || ''Meet the Fockers'' || Universal || 3,553 || +26  
|-
| 2. || ''Elektra'' || 20th Century Fox || 3,204 || NEW 
|-
| 3. || ''Racing Stripes'' || Warner Bros. || 3,185 || NEW 
|-
| 4. || ''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'' || Paramount || 2,540 || -803  
|-
| 5. || ''Coach Carter'' || Paramount || 2,524 || NEW 
|-
| 6. || ''White Noise'' || Universal || 2,279 || +18 
|-
| 7. || ''Ocean's Twelve'' || Warner Bros.|| 2,105 || -905 
|-
| 8. || ''Fat Albert'' || 20th Century Fox|| 2,043 || -632 
|-
| 9. || ''The Aviator'' || Miramax || 1,956 || +89 
|-
| 10. || ''Spanglish'' || Columbia || 1,662 || -925
|-
| 11. || ''National Treasure'' || Touchstone || 1,610 || -567
|-
| 12. || ''In Good Company'' || Universal || 1,565 || +1,562  
|-
| 13. || ''House of Flying Daggers'' || Columbia || 1,016 || +874  
|-
| 14. || ''The Incredibles'' || Disney/Pixar || 1,002 || -617 
|-
| 15. || ''Finding Neverland'' || Miramax || 1,000 || -77 
|-
|}

==Sources==
*[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/ Box Office Mojo theatre count]
*{{source|url=http://www.zap2it.com/movies/boxoffice/story/0,1259,---24290,00.html |title=`PREDICTION: 'Elektra' May Slay Zebra and Coach |author=Mike Szymanski |pub=Zap2it.com |date=Jan 13, 2005}}

 
{{archive}}
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:Published]]
North American movie box offices were dominated  by Universal pictures last weekend as two of its films, a comedy, Meet the Fockers, and a horror flick, White Noise, together raked in a combined $52.6 million, more than half the $98.3 all films made over the Jan. 7 weekend, according to film tracking firm Box Office Mojo.

But Universal's dominance of the North American box office receipts is in danger as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Brothers and Sony all have films debuting in wide release Friday.

After a two-week drought of new releases with Noise the only debut, the Jan. 14 weekend is relatively crowded as three new films bow and one Oscar-buzz movie expands into wide release.

* 'Elektra (PG-13) 1:37' Among the new entries is the Jennifer Garner star vehicle Elektra a semi-sequel to 2003's comic-book based Daredevil where Garner reprise a role of anti-hero. Elektra bows in 3,204 theatres.

* 'Coach Carter (PG-13) 2:14:' Paramount pictures releases the 134-minute metaphor heavy Coach Carter, a production of MTV Pictures, featuring Samuel L. Jackson in an inspirational inner-city high school sports movie. Coach Carter will debut in 2,524 U.S. and Canadian movie houses.

* 'Racing Stripes (PG) 1:24:' Warner Bros. also enters the debut fray with its live-action talking animal family movie, Racing Stripes, featuring the voices from such a diverse cast as Snoop Dogg, Mandy Moore and Dustin Hoffman. Racing Stripes starts its run with 3,185 venues.

*'House of Flying Daggers (PG-13) 1:59:' Sony Pictures Classics is expanding its wire fu Chinese war epic, House of Flying Daggers. The film has made it to several critics best-of-the-year lists and is considered a front runner for Academy Award nominations in several technical categories.


 Source: Box Office Mojo

 'Rank'

 'Title'

 'Studio/Distributor'

 'Theatre Count'

 'Change'

 1. 

 Meet the Fockers 

 Universal 

 3,553 

 +26  

 2. 

 Elektra 

 20th Century Fox 

 3,204 

 NEW 

 3. 

 Racing Stripes 

 Warner Bros. 

 3,185 

 NEW 

 4. 

 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events 

 Paramount 

 2,540 

 -803  

 5. 

 Coach Carter 

 Paramount 

 2,524 

 NEW 

 6. 

 White Noise 

 Universal 

 2,279 

 +18 

 7. 

 Ocean's Twelve 

 Warner Bros.

 2,105 

 -905 

 8. 

 Fat Albert 

 20th Century Fox

 2,043 

 -632 

 9. 

 The Aviator 

 Miramax 

 1,956 

 +89 

 10. 

 Spanglish 

 Columbia 

 1,662 

 -925

 11. 

 National Treasure 

 Touchstone 

 1,610 

 -567

 12. 

 In Good Company 

 Universal 

 1,565 

 +1,562  

 13. 

 House of Flying Daggers 

 Columbia 

 1,016 

 +874  

 14. 

 The Incredibles 

 Disney/Pixar 

 1,002 

 -617 

 15. 

 Finding Neverland 

 Miramax 

 1,000 

 -77
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