Box office champ “Pirates” lashes dueling comedies
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Johnny Depp’s hit “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel ruled the waves at the North American box office for a second weekend, while two new comedies were in a tight race for the distant No. 2 slot.
According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, Walt Disney Co.’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Curse” earned $62.2 million during the three-day period beginning July 14. Its 10-day total stands at $258.2 million, making it the biggest movie of the year so far.
Disney officials declined to predict the film’s eventual total, but observers expect a possible third weekend at No. 1 as it nears $300 million. Some targets include $340 million, the studio record set by “Finding Nemo,” and $380 million, the sum earned by last year’s biggest movie, “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.”
The Wayans brothers lowbrow comedy “Little Man” claimed second spot with about $21.7 million, just ahead of fellow rookie “You, Me and Dupree” with $21.3 million. Rankings could change when final data are released on Monday, although the estimates did not provoke any dispute between the films’ respective distributors.
“Little Man” stars Marlon Wayans as a jewel thief whose face is grafted onto the two-foot body of a child actor. It was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, and also stars Shawn Wayans. The movie, which cost about $64 million to make, exceeded the expectations of its distributor, Columbia Pictures. The Sony Corp.-owned studio had hoped for an opening in the high-teens, on par with the $19 million opening of the siblings’ previous effort, “White Chicks.”
“You, Me and Dupree,” a $54 million film starring Owen Wilson in a familiar slacker role, this time as the houseguest from hell, turned in a “solid showing,” according to Nikki Rocco, president of distribution at Universal Pictures.
Exit polling indicated women made up 58 percent of the audience, a tribute to the appeal of both Wilson and co-star Kate Hudson. Matt Dillon also stars.
Rounding out the top-five were Warner Bros.’ “Superman Returns” with $11.6 million, and 20th Century Fox’s “The Devil Wears Prada” with $10.4 million, both down two places in their third weekends. Their respective totals stand at $183.6 million and $83.6 million.
The top-10 contained one other new entrant, the limited-release sci-fi saga “A Scanner Darkly,” which rose nine places to claim the final spot with $1.2 million. The Warner Independent Pictures release, featuring animated likenesses of Keanu Reeves and Robert Downey, Jr., has earned $1.8 million after two weeks. It was playing in just 216 theaters, while most of the top movies were in more than 3,000 theaters each.
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