Last month I predicted that AOTC and Spider-Man would combine for over $400 million and close to $500 million in box office returns in the month of May. Turns out the movies combined for over $550 million from May 3rd (when Spider-Man premiered) to May 31st. I also predicted that Star Wars would be the bigger grosser and we all know that has turned out to be wrong. Before the unofficial summer movie kick off on May 3rd, there were predictions aplenty as to what movies will be tops for the summer and the year. Everyone put Attack Episode II on top.  Some said that Spider-Man would be in the top three, some said in the top ten while others said it might not even make the top ten for the year. Can you believe now that some thought the movie would make less than $200 million? My prediction was $252 million for its entire box office run, but it was obvious after those first numbers came out on Saturday, May 4th, that even my high prediction was going to be way off.

The early estimates on that Saturday morning blew me away; $41 million for one day! (it later turned out to be $39 million). That opening day was the biggest opening day and one day total ever for a movie. Surely the movie would drop on the Saturday, considering that most comic book to silver screen adapted movies suffer drop offs from Friday to Saturday. Wrong! The movie broke its own record and made another $43.6 million on its second day in theaters! When all was said and done for Spider-Man's opening weekend, its total made Harry Potter's record opening of $90 million look like a silly little magic trick. Spider-Man had $114 million in three days! At that pace the movie would most likely make around $300 million, since big movies suffer from blockbuster gravity by experiencing huge declines of 50%+ on sophomore weekends. Wrong again! Spider-Man dropped only about 38% from its first to second weekend, and shattered another record in the process; the biggest second weekend gross ever ($71 million). Such a strong showing meant that this movie was going to have some staying power. After making the $100 million mark in a record 3 days, it had made it to the $200 million mark in record time as well (9 days). Its total in ten days was $223 million! But a big challenge was just around the corner; Attack of the Clones.

Everyone knew that Spider-Man would get knocked out of first place in its third weekend when Episode II premiered, but once again, it surprised by dropping only 37%, making another phenomenal $45 million (the biggest third weekend gross ever). By its 22nd day in theaters, Spider-Man crossed the $300 million mark, beating the previous best (The Phantom Menace) by six days. Memorial Day weekend fell on Spider-Man's fourth weekend in theaters, further helping its cause. From the Friday to Sunday section of the weekend, the movie once again dropped only 37%, making $28.5 million. It was however not enough to beat the biggest fourth weekend gross record held by Titanic. But I don't think anyone at Sony was crying about that. After the four day holiday weekend, the total for Spider-Man was so high that it was getting a little on the ridiculous side. The movie had made just over $333 million.

By the end of the month, Spider-Man's total stood at $343 million, good enough for #6 on the top grossing movies of all time list. Looking ahead, the movie stands a chance of making it into the top three grossing movies of all time before the end of its run. Although it could be a little too tough with other big movies coming up, the movie needs to make only another $92 million to pass #3 E.T. ($434 million). Phantom Menace is #4 with $431 million. It is a possibility, but the movie will most likely end with between $400 and $415 million. As if all of that isn't amazing, Spider-Man has already managed over $100 million in ticket sales overseas as well.

It was fun in the beginning to see how Attack of the Clones would fare compared to Spider-Man. The George Lucas prequel started off with a bang, grossing $80 million in its opening weekend and had a four day total of $110 million (including the Thursday before opening weekend). $80 million doesn't seem that great compared to the $114 million opening weekend of Spider-Man, but the movie opened in more than 400 theaters less than the webslinger (although the per screen average was lower than Spider-Man's opening weekend). But what has occurred since that opening weekend is a little befuddling. Sure, Episode II made it to $200 million by its 11th day in theaters, but it wasn't holding up like Spider-Man. Sure, the 40% drop from its opening weekend to its second weekend wasn't as big as other blockbusters, but it had a bigger drop than Spider-Man had in its second weekend.

As a big Star Wars fan, it has now become a little sad to see Spider-Man just blow away AOTC. And I am just totally dumbfounded. Episode II is one of the best movies I've ever seen and definitely as good as the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back (and better than Spider-Man). I loved Episode I as well, but this episode is just totally incredible. I know there are some critics out there that don't care for it, but they aren't real fans of the series. The real fans of Star Wars love this movie, as some say that it is the best Star Wars movie ever. Out of all the people that I have talked to, only one person didn't like it. More than half of them say that it is the best Star Wars movie, while the others say that it is a great movie. Attack of the Clones is so well paced (never a dull moment) and the action and effects are unbelievable. The last part of the movie is maybe the most exciting of any movie ever (the big Jedi battle and the Yoda fight scene, of course).

Still, the movie is making a lot of money. Us Star Wars fans were just expecting a little more. I had a feeling that somewhere along the way the drop in ticket sales would slow down, but the movie made $5 million on the last day of May (meaning a total of around $20 million was in store for its third weekend). At this pace the movie will make right around $300 million. It won't even be able to beat Harry Potter, much less Spider-Man! That would be the most embarrassing thing ever for a Star Wars fan; to be beaten by a little boy wizard. I'm just getting totally depressed by that prospect. What has become of the Star Wars faithful? I now truly wish that Mr. Lucas had premiered AOTC in more theaters. I know that he cares about the quality and everything, but a $100 million+ opening weekend would have been great and ensured at least $350 million at the box office.

Since I first found out that George Lucas was going to make a new Star Wars trilogy, I got extremely excited. This was a great thing. But as I've watched these movies unfold, I've kept wishing that they would do so good that Mr. Lucas would decide to make another trilogy, Episodes 7 - 9. There would be a public outcry and he would finally give in and make the final trilogy. I guess I can kiss those dreams good-bye. But Mr. Lucas, please rethink it. There are those of us that would just love to see Episodes 7 - 9. And to all Star Wars fans: please go out and see this movie over and over. Let's get it up to at least $350 million.

My prediction of $450 - $500 million for Episode II now seems as ridiculous as my $252 million prediction for Spider-Man. Who would have thunk that if I had predicted Spider-Man making $450 - $500 million and Attack of the Clones $252 million, I would have been closer to the actual amounts? Star Wars is however managing to do incredible business overseas. The movie has made over $100 million and could possibly make twice the amount that it has made here in the United States. All you Star Wars fans that read this, get other fans to read this and let them see the numbers and that Episode II will get beaten even by Harry Potter. Maybe we can all together make sure that it doesn't happen.

Well, with the spotlight seemingly shining only on Spider-Man and Star Wars in the month of May, you would think that there were no other movies showing.

First of all there is the holdover from April that caused a big commotion with a $36 million opening weekend. Does anybody remember The Scorpion King? Unfortunately for The Rock, his movie had to face off against Spider-Man in its third weekend, and since then it's box office returns plummeted. If the movie had come out a week earlier, it could have grossed over $100 million, but as it stands now the movie couldn't even make it to $90 million. It's grossed somewhere between $88 and $90 million by the end of May.

A holdover from March, Panic Room actually never made it to $100 million after having a great opening and second weekend showing. The movie's total by the end of May was around $96 million.

The total for Changing Lanes will be around $70 million before the end of its theater run, and The Rookie should end with about $75 million (both were released in April).

Most of the other movies that opened in the month of May suffered huge declines from weekend to weekend. It's pretty obvious that none of these movies will make the $100 million mark except for maybe the movie that premiered on the very last day of May, The Sum of All Fears.  Fears first day in theaters garnered $10 million in ticket sales, setting a course for a $31 million opening. The opening knocked AOTC out of the number one spot. But even with such an opening, will Ben Affleck's newest movie make it to the $100 million mark? Well, if you look at how movies have fared after $30 - 36 million debuts in the last two months (Panic Room, Blade II and The Scorpion King), then the answer has to be no. Especially with a big slate of summer movies coming out over the next few weeks, with some of them (Bad Company and Minority Report) being direct competition. Fears will likely end with around $90 million in ticket sales. Which is strange, considering that it has the biggest opening for a Jack Ryan movie by far (The Hunt for Red October - $17 million, Patriot Games - $18 million, Clear and Present Danger - $20 million), yet it will gross less than two of them (October and Present Danger both grossed over $120 million).

The only other hit that premiered in the month of May was Spirit: The Stallion of the Cimmaron. By the end of May it had grossed $30 million, but suffered a 40% drop from opening Friday to the second Friday. The animated movie will most likely finish with around $70 million.

One movie that looked like it could be a huge hit was the combination of four big Hollywood talents, Insomnia. Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento) and starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank (all three of them Oscar winners), the movie opened big with a $26 million Memorial Day weekend (with about $20 million of it coming over the Friday to Sunday period). But then the movie suffered a huge decline on its second Friday in theaters, dropping 53% from its opening Friday. Insomnia will likely end with around $55 million in ticket sales.

One movie that held up the best out of any movie in the month of May was the Richard Gere/Diane Lane film, Unfaithful. But since the movie didn't start with much, the little percentage drop from weekend to weekend didn't help it bring in big numbers. The movie will most likely finish with $50 million (it had $43 million by the end of May).

Enough opened decently, but suffered a 55% drop on its second Friday. By the end of May it had $22 million. I thought this movie would do very well, but in the end it looks like it will have about $35 million.

The biggest surprise of the month other than the obvious Spider-Man beating AOTC was the good reviews that the Eddie Griffin/Chris Kattan/Denise Richards movie, Undercover Brother received. Critics really liked this movie and it opened with $3.4 million on its first day (the last day of May). The movie might be able to reach $50 million if audiences take a liking to it.

A movie that must have been a big disappointment for its company was The New Guy, which by the end of May brought in $26 million. It won't make much more than $30 million.

Top movies of May:  Attack of the Clones (A+), Spider-Man (A-), About a Boy (B+).
Top performances of May:  Diane Lane in Unfaithful (Oscar nomination worthy), Al Pacino in Insomnia (maybe Oscar nomination worthy) and Hugh Grant in About a Boy (most likely won't be nominated).