Actor in Hollywood

In 2001, the North American film market was still growing and expanding, though it had entered a more stable phase. Release strategies had matured, with plans in place from promotion to the actual release.

Typically, commercial films at this stage were released in around 3,000 theaters. More theaters didn't necessarily mean better results, as more screens meant higher costs and more revenue sharing with theaters. Thus, 3,000 screens was considered a standard number—movies like *Pearl Harbor*, *The Mummy Returns*, and *Rush Hour 2* were all released in about that many theaters.

This summer's biggest release was *Shrek*, which debuted in 3,600 theaters—a move that reflected DreamWorks' confidence and their focus on reaching family audiences.

On the other hand, *The Princess Diaries* had less confidence behind it. Although it also targeted the family market, Disney only released it in 2,600 theaters.

Overall, film release strategies were carefully planned in advance, with minor adjustments made based on box office performance after the release. However, these adjustments were usually minimal.

For example, after *The Princess Diaries* had an impressive opening weekend, Disney added 26 theaters in major cities like Los Angeles and New York.

But then, when the second weekend box office numbers came in, Disney took bold action, adding over 400 more theaters and further expanding its release—a rare move in the North American film market.

Not only in large cities, but Disney also became more ambitious about the film's potential in the family market, continuing to expand its release in the third week. The film even made the entertainment section headlines in major newspapers and magazines.

While *Rush Hour 2* and *American Pie 2* were struggling with their critical reception, *The Princess Diaries* defied expectations and displayed remarkable confidence.

And it turned out that Disney's strategy was far from reckless.

In the third week of August, just as the summer movie season was about to end, something unexpected happened, leading to the most surprising and exciting moment of the 2001 summer box office.

The North American weekend box office chart saw a complete shake-up.

1st place: *The Princess Diaries* with $24 million.

2nd place: *American Pie 2* with $21 million.

3rd place: *Rush Hour 2* with $19 million.

4th place: *Rat Race* with $11 million.

There were so many surprising elements here that it was hard to know where to begin.

In 1990, *Ghost* defeated *Pretty Woman* to become the top-grossing film of the year in North America. Ten years later, the director of *Ghost*, Jerry Zucker, faced off against the director of *Pretty Woman*, Garry Marshall, in the summer box office, but this time the outcome was reversed.

*Rat Race*, directed by Jerry Zucker and featuring a lineup of comedy stars including Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Whoopi Goldberg, and Cuba Gooding Jr., had a budget of $70 million and was expected to end the summer with a bang, making audiences laugh out loud.

After all, comedy always has a place in the summer box office.

Unfortunately, the movie bombed, grossing only $11 million in its opening weekend, leaving Paramount in tears.

No one expected *Rat Race* to flop so badly, failing to make any significant impact on the box office market. The North American weekend box office chart continued to be dominated by familiar contenders.

However, each of these films was struggling.

*American Pie 2* saw a 53.2% drop in its second weekend, even worse than *Rush Hour 2* the previous week.

*Rush Hour 2*, in its third week, continued to drop by 42.6%, bleeding revenue and putting its goal of $200 million in total North American box office at risk.

In this situation, none of these films could maintain their momentum, leaving an opening for *The Princess Diaries* to seize the opportunity and change the game.

In its third weekend, *The Princess Diaries* once again demonstrated the power of a fairy tale. Despite reviews falling below expectations, the movie's accurate targeting and excellent promotion kept audiences buying tickets, showing incredible staying power. Disney's decision to expand the release proved wise.

With a 17.8% drop in its third weekend, *The Princess Diaries* took in $24 million from Friday to Sunday, not only pushing its total box office past the $130 million mark but also achieving the unthinkable—becoming the number one film at the North American weekend box office!

Overtaking *American Pie 2* and *Rush Hour 2* in its third week, *The Princess Diaries*' rise to the top stunned everyone.

This was truly unbelievable!

No one had anticipated that *The Princess Diaries* would gross over $100 million, let alone surpass *Runaway Bride*. Even more surprising was its quiet ascent, creating such a miraculous box office curve.

**Incredible, simply incredible.**

For a moment, people didn't know how to react—how had all this happened?

However, it wasn't over yet.

Amidst the shock and amazement, *The Princess Diaries* became the hottest topic of August, even overshadowing *Rush Hour 2*. With the summer movie season nearing its end, the competition from upcoming releases was noticeably weaker, making it hard for any film to make a significant impact. As a result, *The Princess Diaries* naturally became the first choice for many heading to the theaters.

Three consecutive weeks at number one!

Not only did *The Princess Diaries* top the North American box office, but it also held the number one spot for three consecutive weeks, maintaining its dominance and popularity, completely overturning the initial doubts that surrounded its release.

As unbelievable as it may seem, *The Princess Diaries* managed to alleviate Michael Eisner's struggles at Disney. The film was becoming a cultural phenomenon, replicating the miracle that Garry Marshall had created years ago with *Pretty Woman*.

"From Julia Roberts to Anne Hathaway, Garry Marshall has once again turned a nobody into a star."

"Anne Hathaway: The Next Julia Roberts?"

"The young starlet grows up—Anne Hathaway shows unparalleled big-screen charm."

Everything was unfolding just as Garry Marshall had predicted. Anne Hathaway's on-screen appeal was being recognized, and this newcomer, appearing on the big screen for the first time, was skyrocketing to fame. At the same time, as Garry had foreseen, Anson was becoming the catalyst for the film's transformation from quantity to quality, also stirring up a media frenzy.

"Everyone is talking about Anson Wood."

"The boy behind the mask—Anson Wood is becoming the new Prince Charming."

"Actor or pretty face? Anson Wood makes his mark in Hollywood."

Conveniently, Sony Columbia was also gearing up for the early promotion of *Spider-Man* and was more than happy to ride this wave of publicity. All they had to do was give a little nudge, and overnight, the media was flooded with news about Anson—

He was everywhere!

With all this anticipation, even after *The Princess Diaries* ended its three-week reign at the top, its momentum didn't fade. The summer blockbuster storm continued into the fall, becoming a standout in what was otherwise a quiet season at the box office.