Buena Vista/Disney's G rated comedy sequel Santa Clause 2 rose one rung to third place in its fifth week, showing good legs with an ESTIMATED $17.2 million at 2,526 theaters (-725 theaters; $6,808 per theater). Its cume is approximately $113.9 million. (Its ESTIMATED gross for three days is $12.3 million.)

Directed by Michael Lembeck, it stars Tim Allen.

"When you add these two (films) together, it is a very good number," Buena Vista Distribution president Chuck Viane said Sunday morning, referring to the nearly $34 million that Disney grossed with Santa Clause 2 and Treasure Planet together. "It's not particularly the way I expected it would play out, but at the same time it's a great family market and we've got a lot of the holiday ahead of us so I'll look forward to that."

Looking at Santa 2, Viane observed that the sequel "looks so much like the original, which aged very, very well as it got closer and closer to (Christmas). We're looking forward to some big weekends ahead."

Where is Santa heading in domestic theaters? "I think conservatively it's probably somewhere between $130-140 million. Once we get closer, we'll hone in on it, but certainly there's more than 15 million bucks in it. This weekend was so good, you've just got to look ahead and say there is the possibility of getting to the next plateau. I'm really hoping that's what will happen."

Buena Vista/Disney's PG rated animated sci-fi adventure Treasure Planet opened fourth with less box office treasure than hoped for, grossing an ESTIMATED $16.5 million at 3,227 theaters ($5,108 per theater). (Its ESTIMATED gross for three days is $11.9 million.)

Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, its screenplay is by Ron Clements and John Musker.

"Treasure opened softer than we expected," BV's Chuck Viane said. "At the same time, when you (look at) the CinemaScores and you get four A's and two B-pluses, you've got to look forward and say that like Santa Clause this is probably going to be in the market for a long time and certainly with the holidays coming up it can only get better for us.

"It was a great holiday weekend in total and you've just got to assume that in the eventuality of everything we'll get our numbers. I look at pictures like Greek Wedding and The Ring and neither one of them stormed out of the gate and yet they are both such wonderfully successful films. I hope that's the category we'll be in."

Columbia's PG-13 rated animated musical Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights kicked off calmly in fifth place with an ESTIMATED $15.1 million at 2,503 theaters ($6,013 per theater). (Its ESTIMATED gross for three days is $10.1 million.)

Directed by Seth Kearsley, it was produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo and Allen Covert.

"It's a $34 million negative. Obviously, by animated standards it's really inexpensive," Sony Pictures Entertainment vice chairman Jeff Blake said Sunday morning.

"We had a lot of fun with the movie and it looks like we're going to end up well on it. I certainly would think we're going to get to $40 million at least and (that means) we make money. And it was a lot of fun to do. I think (Sandler) had fun doing it. It was something different. I think it was a good experience for everybody and one that will make us money."

New Line Cinema's R rated comedy sequel Friday After Next slid three slots to sixth place in its second week with an okay ESTIMATED $11.03 million at 1,621 theaters (+5 theaters; $6,801 per theater). Its cume is approximately $25.6 million.(Its ESTIMATED gross for three days is $7.75 million.)

Directed by Marcus Raboy, it stars Ice Cube and Mike Epps.