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Hollywood highs and lows in 2006

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man`s Chest" managed to beat off major contenders like the big screen version of "The Da Vinci Code" and Pixar`s latest "Cars" to sail in comfortably as the top grossing film around the world with an amazing $1,065.4 million dollars.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" managed to beat off major contenders like the big screen version of "The Da Vinci Code" and Pixar's latest "Cars" to sail in comfortably as the top grossing film around the world with an amazing $1,065.4 million dollars.
But, as with recent years, it was just one of a spate of sequels to come home with a big return at the box office. The second Ice Age "Ice Age: The Meltdown," "X-Men: The Last Stand" ($458 million) and "Mission: Impossible III" ($396 million) all showed that the power of the colon brought in big bucks.

Two other franchises also featured in the top ten internationally grossing films although their 'sequel' status might not be so apt; "Superman Returns," ($391 million) the first outing for the man in red underpants for nearly twenty years; and, "Casino Royale" ($384 million) showing off a new more buff, blond and gritty Bond in this reinvention of the series.

The other trait within the top ten internationally successful movies this year were animations.

Hollywood literally pumped them out this year, and four of them hit big. "Ice Age: The Meltdown" was the world's third biggest grossing film with $647 million, with "Cars" trailing in at fourth with almost $200 million less at $461.8 million.

Scraping in at number nine was "Over the Hedge," with $330 million, and "Happy Feet" might have finished outside the top ten but looks set to gross well over many of the top ten by the time it finishes in cinemas.

The final two in the top ten were both novel adaptations; "The Da Vinci Code" already had a massive fan base thanks to the book by Dan Brown and took $756 million at the box office, despite a savage beating by critics; and "The Devil Wears Prada," the hit book by Lauren Weisberger became one the year's biggest surprise hits with $312 million.

Finally, a movie that wasn't a sequel, animation or book adaptation, as Borat shocked the world with his treatment of Americans in 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.'

The world loved it and the Americans did too.

Bureau Report