Going into the weekend, the New Line action-comedy threequel Rush Hour 3 will be opening in 3,778 theatres, about 500 more than our estimates and 600 more than Rush Hour 2. Still, there doesn't seem to be as much interest or support from the critics on this one, and it's still likely to wind up under $60 million for the weekend.
Matthew Vaughn's Stardust also gets more theatres but that just doesn't seem to be getting very much interest despite strong reviews, and it's still likely to end up with significantly less than $15 million this weekend.
Cuba Gooding Jr.'s comedy sequel Daddy Day Camp didn't do well on its opening day, grossing just $773 thousand, though it's likely to do better business over the weekend, being a family movie. Skinwalkers is still not looking good but should still end up around $1.4 - $1.5 million.
1. Rush Hour 3 (New Line) - $56.4 million N/A
2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) - $33.3 million -52%
3. Stardust (Paramount) - $13.2 million N/A
4. The Simpsons Movie (20th Century Fox) - $12.0 million -52%
5. Underdog (Walt Disney) - $6.7 million -43%
6. Daddy Day Camp (Sony/TriStar) - $6.2 million N/A
7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (Universal) - $5.8 million -45%
8. Hairspray (New Line) - $5.5 million -40%
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Warner Bros.) - $5.0 million -47%
10. No Reservations (Warner Bros.) - $3.9 million -40%
-- Becoming Jane (Miramax) - $2.43 million +240%
-- Skinwalkers (After Dark Films) - $1.4 millon N/A
The Miramax biopic Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen will expand to 600 theatres this weekend and though that won't be enough to get it into the Top 10, it will add another $2.4 million to its considerable gross.
Next week, we're likely to see a repeat at #1 for Rush Hour 3 despite a substantial drop, and it should get a bit of competition from the latest from producer Judd Apatow, the coming-of-age comedy Superbad starring Michael Cera from "Arrested Development" and Jonah Hill, which should do upwards of $20 million.
Warner Bros' thriller The Invasion, starring Nicole Kidman, is not likely to fare as well due to numerous delays and early word of the film's problems, but could still make $12 to 15 million. After similarly numerous delays, the Weinstein Company releases the swords and sandals epic The Last Legion into 2,000 theatres, although it will be struggling to make $5 million next weekend.
