July
1, 2004
For
Immediate Release
SPIDER-MAN® 2 MAKES BOX OFFICE
HISTORY WITH LARGEST OPENING DAY EVER
With an estimated
$40.5 million on its first day
Spider-Man® 2 rewrites the record books
Culver City, CA July 1, 2004 Sony Pictures Entertainment's Spider-Man®
2 established a new industry record for opening day box office receipts
with an estimated $40.5 million in ticket sales, it was announced today
by Jeff Blake, Vice-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and President
of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for the Columbia TriStar Motion
Picture Group. Spider-Man 2 debuted yesterday in 4,152 theaters.
"We are off
to a phenomenal start on what looks to be a magical six days for Spider-Man
2," said Jeff Blake, Vice Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment,
and President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution. "Spider-Man
2 may be the best reviewed film of the year, and now it's clearly being
loved by audiences as well. Sam Raimi and the producers and cast have
delivered a great film."
The $40.5 million
figure shatters the existing opening day record of $39.4 million set
by the original Spider-Man, which opened in May, 2002. The film also
set a new record for openings on a Wednesday.
In Spider-Man®
2, two years have passed since Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) walked away
from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and decided
to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new
challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse"
of his powers while balancing his dual identities as the elusive superhero
Spider-Man and life as a college student. The relationships Peter holds
most dear are now in danger of unraveling as he clashes with the powerful,
multi-tentacled villain "Doc Ock" (Alfred Molina).
Spider-Man®
2 reunites the cast and filmmakers from the first adventure, including
Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris and J.K.
Simmons, under the leadership of director Sam Raimi and producers Laura
Ziskin and Marvel's Avi Arad. Joining the ensemble cast are Alfred Molina
as Dr. Otto Octavius ("Doc Ock"), Daniel Gillies as John Jameson,
Vanessa Ferlito as Louise, Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors and Donna
Murphy as Rosalie Octavius.
Columbia Pictures
Presents A Marvel Enterprises/Laura Ziskin Production Spider-Man®
2 starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina,
Rosemary Harris, Donna Murphy and J.K. Simmons. The film is directed
by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, The Evil Dead). The screenplay is by two-time
Oscar® winner Alvin Sargent (Ordinary People, Unfaithful) based
on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The screen story
is by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar and Pulitzer-Prize winning author
Michael Chabon. The producers are Laura Ziskin (Spider-Man, Pretty Woman)
and Avi Arad (X-Men, Daredevil).
About Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures,
part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures
Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary
of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony
Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production
and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content
creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment
acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development
of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution
of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment
can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
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