Last week's No. 2 opener, Warner Bros. R-rated Dreamcatcher, slid way down to sixth place with an ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-58%) at 2,945 theaters ($2,158 per theater). The film, based on the Stephen King novel about four friends who must deal with an alien invasion, has made approximately $25.3 million so far.
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, the film stars Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis and Donnie Wahlberg.
MGM's PG-rated Agent Cody Banks, now in its third week, also dropped a few notches from third to seventh place with an ESTIMATED $6.1 million (-34%) at 2,786 theaters (-583 theaters; $2,190 per theater). The 'tweeny spy flick's cume is approximately $34.8 million.
Directed by Harald Zwart, it stars Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff and Angie Harmon.
At No. 8, Buena Vista's animated G-rated Piglet's Big Movie dropped a spot from its opening last week but still attracted the younger set with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-25%) at 2,084 theaters ($2,207 per theater). The story about how little Piglet becomes the big hero has taken in approximately $12.4 million so far.
Directed by Francis Glebas, it features the voices of John Fiedler, James Cummings and Andre Stojka.
Miramax's PG-13 View From the Top slipped from its fourth place opening to ninth place with an ESTIMATED $3.8 million (-46%) at 2,508 theaters ($1,515 per theater). About a girl from a Nevada trailer park who sets her sights on becoming a flight attendant, its cume is approximately $12.5 million.
Directed by Bruno Barreto, the film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Kelly Preston and Christina Applegate.
Rounding out the Top 10, Paramount's R-rated The Hunted took in an ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-44%) at 2,244 theaters (-273 theaters; $1,638 per theater). Now in its third week, the knife-driven thriller's cume is approximately $29.2 million.
Directed by William Friedkin, it stars Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio Del Toro and Connie Nielsen.
OTHER OPENINGS
United Artists' R-rated drama Assassination Tango opened in seven theaters with an ESTIMATED $64,000 ($9,143 per theater).
The film is directed by and stars Robert Duvall as an assassin stuck in Buenos Aires on a job who becomes enmeshed in the world of the dance club tango. The film also stars Ruben Blade, Kathy Baker and marks the debut of Lucianna Pedraza, Duvall's real-life partner.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
This weekend's top 12 haul totaled only $87.3 million, down almost 24 percent from the same weekend last year, which saw a take of $114.2 million.
Last year, Sony's R-rated Panic Room debuted at the top of the box office with $30 million at 3,053 theaters ($9,845 per theater); Fox's PG rated Ice Age came in second with $18 million at 3,333 theaters ($5,441 per theater); and Buena Vista's G-rated The Rookie opened in third with $16 million at 2,511 theaters ($6,381 per theater).