Moviegoers have shelled out more than $3 billion so far this year at the domestic box office, just 2 percent behind the record-setting pace set last year, when the final tally topped $5 billion.
With the surprise hits "Ghost" and "Die Hard 2" leading the way this summer, the year-to-date box office total hit $3.08 billion last weekend, compared with $3.14 billion for the same period last year. In 1988, the total at this point in the year had reached $2.78 billion.The top 10 movies of the weekend, led by the life-after-death drama "Flatliners," amassed an impressive $58 million, off 5 percent from the previous weekend's $61.1 million, but just 1 percent off the $58.9 million scored by the top 10 a year ago.
For the week, the total domestic box office reached $139 million, up from $127.2 million for the year-ago week. In 1988, the same week produced ticket sales of $108.9 million.
During the weekend, "Die Hard 2" became the sixth 1990 release to top the $100 million mark. The Fox release has now drawn $101.2 million in six weeks.
Paramount's "Ghost" will undoubtedly cross the $100 million level before the end of the month, having taken in $85.4 million in just 31 days.
Disney's "Pretty Woman" led all films this year with a gross of $165.8 million in 21 weeks of release, followed by New Line's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," at $132.2 million in 20 weeks.
Paramount's "Hunt for Red October" has taken in $120.2 million in 24 weeks; Carolco's "Total Recall" is the top summer release with $114.1 million in 11 weeks, and Disney's "Dick Tracy" has pulled in $102.4 million in nine weeks.