The nation's movie theaters have taken in $3.84 billion so far this year, a mere 1 percent behind the $3.89 billion in box office receipts collected by this time last year.
Last year's box office, led by the hit "Batman," reached a record $5.03 billion by year's end, but this year's total could approach that level if the slate of current movies continues to perform strongly. In 1988, the total box-office take at the same juncture had hit $3.46 billion.Disney's "Pretty Woman" and Paramount's "Ghost" remain the year's biggest hits, at $176.2 million and $167.4 million respectively. New Line's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is third at $113.1 million, followed by Paramount's "Hunt for Red October," with $120.7 million.
Three other releases have topped the $100 million mark. Carolco's "Total Recall" has grossed $118.3 million; Fox's "Die Hard 2" has taken in $113.8 million and Disney's "Dick Tracy" has pulled in $103.7 million.