The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday for final figures based on actual box office.
After an absence of six years, moviegoers wanted more of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, as New Line’s Rush Hour 3 earned an estimated $50.2 million from 3,778 theaters to claim the top spot. In comparison, Rush Hour 2 opened to $67.4 million in August of 2001, but the debut of Rush Hour 3 is still the fourth-highest ever for the month of August, trailing just last week’s The Bourne Ultimatum ($69.3 million), the second installment, and Signs ($60.1 million). The third film, again directed by Brett Ratner, was made for about $140 million.
Last week’s champ, Universal’s The Bourne Ultimatum added $33.7 million in second place for a new total of $132.3 million after two weeks. The hit Matt Damon actioner cost $110 million to produce.
Also dropping a spot was Fox’s The Simpsons Movie, which made $11.1 million in its third weekend. The big screen debut cost $75 million to make and has collected $152.2 million so far.
Not the hit that Paramount was hoping for, the Matthew Vaughn-directed Stardust, based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, earned $9 million at 2,540 locations. The fantasy film, budgeted at $70 million, opened at #4.
Disney’s Underdog rounded out the top five with $6.5 million in its second weekend to push its total to $24.7 million.
New Line’s Hairspray stuck to its sixth spot, adding $6.4 million for a sum of $92.1 million after four weeks.
Seventh place belonged to Universal’s I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, which earned $5.95 million, has collected $103.8 million after four weeks, and was made for about $85 million.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix took in $5.4 million in its fifth weekend and has garnered $272 million.
TriStar Pictures’ Daddy Day Camp, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and directed by Fred Savage, didn’t see much business making just $3.6 million from 2,332 theaters. The comedy has earned $5 million since opening on Wednesday.
Even worse off was After Dark Films’ Skinwalkers, which managed to bring in only $565,000 from 737 theaters.
In limited release, writer/director Jeffrey Blitz’s new comedy Rocket Science earned a healthy $56,900 from just six theaters, while Christophe Honoré’s Dans Paris made $13,200 from two locations.
Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films.
