 Finding Nemo has been a surprise hit |
A late surge of hit movies has produced a record summer at the United States box office. Films like Finding Nemo and The Matrix Reloaded helped to overturn early forecasts of a slump in cinema returns.
The summer gross is expected to total $3.9bn (�2.5bn) - up 2% from last summer's previous record figure, according to box office monitor Exhibitor Relations.
But because of a rise in admission prices, the number of tickets sold will actually be down about 2% on last year - the first decline in three years.
Finding Nemo, the animated aquatic adventure, has surprised many analysts to become the year's most successful film so far, taking $330m (�209m) in the US.
The Matrix Reloaded came in second at $279m (�177m), while Pirates of the Caribbean has taken more than $270m (�171m) - and could still rise to second place.
Sequel success
Bruce Almighty and X2: X-Men United also crossed the $200m (�127m) mark.
Twelve films have topped $100m (�63m), with four others poised to do so - breaking another record set in summer 2002 when 13 films made $100m.
Among the other hits were Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Bad Boys II, Hulk and Swat, along with sleeper success The Italian Job and classy drama Seabiscuit.
The Matrix and X-Men sequels easily outgrossed their predecessors - but others including Terminator 3 and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle fell short.
Sequels to Legally Blonde and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider were also underachievers compared to the originals.
One-Minute World News 
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