National Treasure Digs Up $20 Million Still On Top - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

comedyfreak · 01-06-2008, 10:07 PM

Nicolas Cage may be running out of storage room for his loot. Disney's "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," with Cage as a history buff on the trail of a lost city of gold, was the No. 1 box office draw for the third straight weekend with $20.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Three other hits crowded behind: Will Smith's sci-fi smash for Warner Bros., "I Am Legend," with $16.4 million; Fox Searchlight's teen-pregnancy comedy "Juno" with $16.2 million; and 20th Century Fox's family tale "Alvin and the Chipmunks" with $16 million.

"Book of Secrets" raised its domestic total to $171 million in three weeks, putting it just $2 million shy of the total that 2004's "National Treasure" rang up during its entire run.

"I Am Legend" has grossed $228.7 million, while "Alvin and the Chipmunks" has taken in $176.7 million.

The weekend's only new wide release, the Warner Bros. fright flick "One Missed Call," managed to pull in the horror-movie crowd despite universal loathing by critics. Starring Edward Burns and Shannyn Sossamon in a tale of people whose gruesome deaths are preceded by cell phone messages recording their final moments, the movie debuted at No. 5 with $13.5 million.

The first weekend of 2008 was promising for Hollywood, continuing a holiday box office surge that followed a weak fall season. The top 12 movies took in $123.9 million, up 18.5 percent from the first weekend of 2007.

Featuring a star-making turn from Ellen Page as a whip-smart pregnant teen, "Juno" has emerged as an independent film sensation, grabbing critical praise and building momentum as Hollywood's awards season progresses.

"It's the coolest little success story coming out of 2007," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers. "It's playing like a mini-blockbuster right now."

The film has three nominations for Sunday's Golden Globes, among them best musical or comedy and an acting honor for Page.

With $52 million already in the bank, "Juno" is on its way to becoming Fox Searchlight's biggest hit ever, approaching "Little Miss Sunshine" at $59.9 million and "Sideways" at $71.5 million.

"Juno" started off in larger cities but now has caught fire in smaller towns such as Columbus, Ohio, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Peter Rice, Fox Searchlight president.

"The middle of the country has really embraced the movie. And I think the time of year has had a magnifying effect. All the top 10 lists," Rice said. "When the press writes that it's one of the best movies of the year combined with a movie people love, I think those are the defining factors."

Breaking into the top 10 as it expanded to more theaters was Focus Features' tragic romance "Atonement," which came in at No. 10 with $5.1 million.

"Atonement" leads the Golden Globe field with seven nominations, among them best drama and acting honors for Keira Knightley and James McAvoy.

Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.)
This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative
Gross Rlse
Wks # of
Theaters
1 1 National Treasure: Book of Secrets Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $20,225,000 $171,033,000 3 3762
2 3 I Am Legend Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $16,300,000 $228,638,000 4 3648
3 5 Juno Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox $16,225,000 $52,032,000 5 1925
4 2 Alvin and the Chipmunks 20th Century Fox Distribution $16,000,000 $176,738,000 4 3462
5 - One Missed Call Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $13,525,000 $13,525,000 1 2240
6 4 Charlie Wilson's War Universal Pictures Distribution $8,184,000 $52,630,000 3 2594
7 7 P.S. I Love You Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $8,010,000 $39,378,000 3 2471
8 8 The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Sony Pictures Releasing $6,300,000 $30,893,000 2 2777
9 9 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures International $5,400,000 $38,472,000 3 1249
10 14 Atonement Focus Features, Universal Pictures International $5,124,000 $19,216,000 5 583
11 6 Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem 20th Century Fox Distribution $4,250,000 $36,821,000 2 2617
12 11 The Great Debaters MGM Distribution Company $4,245,000 $22,008,000 2 1290

Dean Winchester · 01-06-2008, 10:46 PM

I am surprised National Treasure is doing so well considering it seems to have no hype at all. Juno, Atonement and Sweeney Todd all have a lot of buzz around it, National Treasure 2 kinda came out of nowhere

comedyfreak · 01-07-2008, 01:51 AM

I'm kinda surprised myself, it has made more than the original.

01-06-2008, 10:07 PM	#1
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	National Treasure Digs Up $20 Million Still On Top Nicolas Cage may be running out of storage room for his loot. Disney's "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," with Cage as a history buff on the trail of a lost city of gold, was the No. 1 box office draw for the third straight weekend with $20.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Three other hits crowded behind: Will Smith's sci-fi smash for Warner Bros., "I Am Legend," with $16.4 million; Fox Searchlight's teen-pregnancy comedy "Juno" with $16.2 million; and 20th Century Fox's family tale "Alvin and the Chipmunks" with $16 million. "Book of Secrets" raised its domestic total to $171 million in three weeks, putting it just $2 million shy of the total that 2004's "National Treasure" rang up during its entire run. "I Am Legend" has grossed $228.7 million, while "Alvin and the Chipmunks" has taken in $176.7 million. The weekend's only new wide release, the Warner Bros. fright flick "One Missed Call," managed to pull in the horror-movie crowd despite universal loathing by critics. Starring Edward Burns and Shannyn Sossamon in a tale of people whose gruesome deaths are preceded by cell phone messages recording their final moments, the movie debuted at No. 5 with $13.5 million. The first weekend of 2008 was promising for Hollywood, continuing a holiday box office surge that followed a weak fall season. The top 12 movies took in $123.9 million, up 18.5 percent from the first weekend of 2007. Featuring a star-making turn from Ellen Page as a whip-smart pregnant teen, "Juno" has emerged as an independent film sensation, grabbing critical praise and building momentum as Hollywood's awards season progresses. "It's the coolest little success story coming out of 2007," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers. "It's playing like a mini-blockbuster right now." The film has three nominations for Sunday's Golden Globes, among them best musical or comedy and an acting honor for Page. With $52 million already in the bank, "Juno" is on its way to becoming Fox Searchlight's biggest hit ever, approaching "Little Miss Sunshine" at $59.9 million and "Sideways" at $71.5 million. "Juno" started off in larger cities but now has caught fire in smaller towns such as Columbus, Ohio, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Peter Rice, Fox Searchlight president. "The middle of the country has really embraced the movie. And I think the time of year has had a magnifying effect. All the top 10 lists," Rice said. "When the press writes that it's one of the best movies of the year combined with a movie people love, I think those are the defining factors." Breaking into the top 10 as it expanded to more theaters was Focus Features' tragic romance "Atonement," which came in at No. 10 with $5.1 million. "Atonement" leads the Golden Globe field with seven nominations, among them best drama and acting honors for Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.) This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative Gross Rlse Wks # of Theaters 1 1 National Treasure: Book of Secrets Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $20,225,000 $171,033,000 3 3762 2 3 I Am Legend Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $16,300,000 $228,638,000 4 3648 3 5 Juno Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox $16,225,000 $52,032,000 5 1925 4 2 Alvin and the Chipmunks 20th Century Fox Distribution $16,000,000 $176,738,000 4 3462 5 - One Missed Call Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $13,525,000 $13,525,000 1 2240 6 4 Charlie Wilson's War Universal Pictures Distribution $8,184,000 $52,630,000 3 2594 7 7 P.S. I Love You Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $8,010,000 $39,378,000 3 2471 8 8 The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Sony Pictures Releasing $6,300,000 $30,893,000 2 2777 9 9 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures International $5,400,000 $38,472,000 3 1249 10 14 Atonement Focus Features, Universal Pictures International $5,124,000 $19,216,000 5 583 11 6 Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem 20th Century Fox Distribution $4,250,000 $36,821,000 2 2617 12 11 The Great Debaters MGM Distribution Company $4,245,000 $22,008,000 2 1290
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01-06-2008, 10:46 PM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I am surprised National Treasure is doing so well considering it seems to have no hype at all. Juno, Atonement and Sweeney Todd all have a lot of buzz around it, National Treasure 2 kinda came out of nowhere

01-07-2008, 01:51 AM	#3
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	I'm kinda surprised myself, it has made more than the original.