New Line Cinema's ratty PG-13 Willard debuted at No. 8 with an ESTIMATED $4 million at 1,761 theaters ($2,286 per theater).
A loosely based remake of the 1971 cult classic, the story revolves around a timid introvert who can psychically command his whiskered, four-legged friends to do whatever he wants--including "tearing up" some of his enemies. Blech.
Directed by Glen Morgan, it stars Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey and Laura Elena Harring.
20th Century Fox's PG-13 comic-book actioner Daredevil shimmied its way down from seventh to ninth place with an ESTIMATED $3.040 million (-42%) at 2,054 theaters (-724 theaters; $1,480 per theater). In its fifth week, the film's cume is approximately $96 million.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, it stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell and Michael Clarke Duncan.
Barely coming in under Daredevil was Warner Bros. R-rated Cradle 2 the Grave, which dropped four spots to take 10th place with an ESTIMATED $3.003 million (-54%) at 2,150 theaters (-475 theaters; $1,397 per theater). The high-octane actioner's cume is approximately $31.7 million.
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, it stars DMX, Jet Li, Gabrielle Union, Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold.
OTHER OPENINGS
Fox Searchlight's PG-13 Bend It Like Beckham, which was a huge hit in Britain last year, opened in limited U.S. release with an ESTIMATED $151,717 in 6 theaters ($25,286 per theater).
The film follows the aspirations of a young Indian girl living in London whose only desire is to play soccer--even if it means going against her traditional family's wishes.
Directed Gurinder Chadha, it stars Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
This weekend's top 12 films grossed $93.3 million, down 1.33 percent from last weekend's take of $94.5 million, as well as down 22 percent from the $120 million of the same weekend last year.
Last year's top grossers were all newcomers: 20th Century Fox's Ice Age opened at No. 1 with a whopping $46.3 million (3,316 theaters; $13,966 per theater) while Sony's Resident Evil came in second with $17.7 million (2,528 theaters; $7,004 per theater) and Warner's Showtime in third with $15 million (2,917 theaters; $5,146 per theater).