Warner Bros. Pictures' stop-motion animated fantasy, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride opened in limited release this weekend to the year's highest per-screen averages, earning $77,016 per screen. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film was released in five total venues in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles, and earned $385,078 in its first three days. It will open wide on Friday, September 23, throughout the United States and Canada.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, in the tradition of Burton's acclaimed The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, tells the story of Victor, a shy young suitor. On the eve of his marriage to an equally shy young woman, he accidentally places her wedding ring on the hand of a mysterious Corpse Bride and is instantly whisked into the Underworld, a place more lively and colorful than he would ever have imagined. But Victor comes to realize that nothing in this world -- or the next -- can keep him from his one true love, and he rises to the challenge of reuniting himself with his living -- and mystified -- fiancee.

"This movie has tremendous charm and takes the stop-motion technology and art to a whole new level," said Fellman. "Fans of Tim Burton and lovers of animation have waited for months to see his latest achievement, and audiences of all ages poured into theaters to enjoy the movie this past weekend. We look forward to more of the same when Tim Burton's Corpse Bride opens wide on Friday."

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride was released September 16th, 2005 and stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Paul Whitehouse, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Richard E. Grant. The film is directed by Tim Burton, Mike Johnson.