Fans of obscure box office records will be delighted to learn that yesterday's demonically timed opening of The Omen shattered the 6-6-06 release record held by 1906's Dream of a Rarebit Fiend, as well as Ali's far less coveted all-time Tuesday mark, with a cutely misreported $12,633,666 gross. Reports Box Office Mojo:

"I was so concerned about it being a Tuesday, but obviously our marketing got the message across," said Bruce Snyder, Fox's president of distribution. "I would have never guessed even $6 million. This was a rather unique circumstance, I think that we created a furor, and I do not expect to see another $12 million today [Wednesday]."

When asked about the Tuesday gross ending in "666," Snyder joked, "I didn't notice that. It's a sign from above." Then, he copped to the fact that it wasn't Satan manipulating the numbers. "We were having a little fun," he said.

Snyder later apologized to anyone who misinterpreted the studio's somewhat cynical use of Satanic imagery, even promising to set aside some of The Omen's record-breaking Tuesday gross to compensate any fans who mistook Fox's "Drink Your Newborn Baby's Blood For Two Tickets" giveaway for anything other than a lighthearted promotional gimmick.

• 'Omen' Opens to Tuesday Record [Box Office Mojo]
• Full 6-6-06 Coverage [Defamer]

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