three dimensional retrofit illuminates box office

'Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace''Beauty and also the Beast'Maybe three dimensional continues to have legs in the end.Greater than a decade after bowing in theaters, Fox's "The Exorcist: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," initially launched in 1999, obtained a much better-than-expected domestic debut of $22.5 million because of its three dimensional retrofit.Probably the most positive bizzers forecasted "The Phantom Menace" hitting upward of $20 million, while more conservative B.O. experts place the pic within the mid-teen range.Our prime-finish debut for "Phantom" marks another fine feather within the cap of an increasing number of three dimensional retrofits.Disney has been doing well to date using its multidimensional redos, "The Lion King" and "Beauty and also the Animal," the second which is approaching the $50 million mark locally. "The Lion King" kick-began Hollywood's hurry of three dimensional conversions last fall, grossing an outstanding $94 million in The United States.The prosperity of these projects comes in a vital time for that format, when auds (especially families) still question the need for having to pay three dimensional upcharges.The Disney pair, in addition to "The Exorcist" to some degree, prove that family audiences still are prepared to venture towards the plexes for three dimensional.Past the retrofit realm, Warner Bros.-New Line's family-specific "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" offered lots of three dimensional ducats, collecting a greater-than-usual 76% in the format (it paid for for 79% from the pic's total location count). Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com