Buena Vista/Touchstone and Spyglass Entertainment's PG-13 rated adventure The Count of Monte Cristo dropped two notches to sixth place in its third week with a less swashbuckling ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-27%) at 2,199 theaters (-12 theaters; $2,878 per theater). Its cume is approximately $32.2 million.
Directed by Kevin Reynolds, it stars James Caviezel, Guy Pearce and Richard Harris.
Universal, DreamWorks and Imagine Entertainment's PG-13 rated Oscar contender drama A Beautiful Mind, which was fifth last week, tied for seventh place in its eighth week with a still solid ESTIMATED $5.84 million (-31%) at 2,220 theaters (-30 theaters; $2,630 per theater). Its cume is approximately $112.8 million.
Directed by Ron Howard, the Brian Grazer production stars Russell Crowe, Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly.
Warner Bros. and Pandora's PG rated youth appeal drama A Walk To Remember, which was third last week, was virtually tied for seventh place in its third week with a dull ESTIMATED $5.77 million (-35%) at 2,311 theaters (-109 theaters; $2,125 per theater). Its cume is approximately $30.5 million.
Directed by Adam Shankman, it stars Shane West and Mandy Moore.
Sony's Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment's PG-13 supernatural thriller The Mothman Prophecies slipped three spots to ninth place in its third week with a less thrilling ESTIMATED $4.9 million (-33%) at 2,275 theaters (-56 theaters; $2,154 per theater). Its cume is approximately $28.0 million.
Mothman was reportedly made for $42 million by Lakeshore and picked up by Screen Gems for domestic release for about $15 million.
Directed by Mark Pellington, it stars Richard Gere and Laura Linney.
Rounding out the Top Ten was New Line Cinema's PG-13 rated drama I Am Sam in its seventh week, holding okay with an ESTIMATED $4.53 million (-28%) at 1,450 theaters (+147 theaters; $3,121 per theater). Its cume is approximately $23.7 million.
Directed by Jessie Nelson, it stars Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer.
"Sam's doing very well," New Line Distribution president David Tuckerman said Sunday. "We're very happy with Sam."
OTHER OPENINGS
This weekend also saw the arrival of Lot 47 Films' R rated comedy Scotland, PA to a bleak ESTIMATED $0.044 million at 17 theaters ($2,580 per theater).
Written and directed by Billy Morrisette, it stars James Le Gros, Maura Tierney and Christopher Walken.
SNEAK PREVIEWS
There were no national sneak previews this weekend.
EXPANSIONS
On the expansion front this weekend Lions Gate Films' R rated drama Monster's Ball, which has been generating an Oscar buzz, added theaters in its seventh week with a strong ESTIMATED $2.3 million at 341 theaters (+312 theaters; $6,745 per theater). Its cume is approximately $3.9 million.
Directed by Marc Forster, it stars Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger and Peter Boyle.
"We'll be adding about 150 theaters this coming week so we'll be up to about 500 screens," Lions Gate president Tom Ortenberg said Sunday morning.