Mel Gibson should prepare for what could possibly be the biggest hit of his career, as Signs looks certain to comfortably surpass What Women Want's $182.8 million total.
Signs should stabilize in its third weekend after tumbling by 51 percent in its second weekend, from $60.1 million to $29.4 million. Still, that's close to matching Gibson's previous best opening of $34.2 million for 1996's Ransom.
M. Night Shyamalan's chilling tale of a possible alien invasion does not face fresh competition among adults out for a good scare, so a decline of about 45 percent will result in a $16 million third weekend. Signs, with its $128.1 million through Wednesday, has flown past the $94.9 million earned in 2000 by Shyamalan's Unbreakable and now stands as the 12th 2002 new release to make more than $100 million.
The one-two punch of xXx and Signs all but buried Clint Eastwood's Blood Work. The thriller opened with an anemic $7.3 million, which is slightly better than the $5.2 million cobbled together by True Crime. With $9.7 million through Wednesday, Blood Work should exceed True Crime's $16.6 million total, but it will still rank as one of Eastwood's lesser recent efforts.
Road to Perdition continues its slow trek to $100 million. The Tom Hanks gangster thriller has $85.9 million through Wednesday.
America's love affair with the Hanks-backed My Big Fat Greek Wedding continues as the romantic comedy posted a 17th-weekend take of $3.1 million, its best yet. The art house smash, only playing in 723 theaters, has collected $46.5 million through Wednesday.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, though, might finally have competition in the form of The Good Girl and Possession.
The Good Girl lived up to its name as it made off with a better than good $151,642 at just two theaters over the weekend, for a five-day total of $208,639. The drama, which has secured strong reviews based on Jennifer Aniston's gritty performance as a neglected, married thirtysomething, will expand slowly this month.
Possession, a romantic drama reminiscent of The French Lieutenant's Woman, opens in 200-plus theaters in advance of an Aug. 30 wide release. Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart play present-day scholars who fall in love while investigating the love affair between Victorian-era poets (Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle). Paltrow once again employs her well-honed British accent, while Eckhart receives the rare opportunity to play a romantic lead.
Possession's most intriguing participant is director Neil LaBute, who enjoyed notoriety with the scathing social satires In the Company of Men and Your Friends & Neighbors and then made the switch to black comedy with Nurse Betty. Possession will demonstrate whether LaBute's admirers and detractors choose to embrace his gentler and kinder side.