Danny Bonaduce and Emmanuel Lewis proved that their 15 minutes of fame is far from over.
The David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, which boasts cameos from Bonaduce and Lewis as well as Barry Williams, Dustin Diamond, Leif Garrett and Corey Feldman, took in a not-so-stellar $7 million* this weekend–just enough to edge past the lackluster competition to the top of the box office.
Last week’s box office topper, Jeepers Creepers 2, lost more than half its opening draw and placed second this week with a humbling $6.7 million, while Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl anchored itself in third place with a swaggering $5.5 million.
The family remake Freaky Friday followed close behind the swashbuckling tale with a far-out $5.1 million, while the ’70s-inspired cop actioner S.W.A.T. rounded out the Top Five with an arresting $4.6 million.
The supernatural thriller The Order, whose biggest omen was not screening for the press, debuted in sixth place with a sinful $4.3 million.
This dismal weekend, the Top 12 films grossed an ESTIMATED $50.8 million, down a whopping 37 percent from last weekend, when they grossed $81.6 million. The Top 12 movies were also down 14 percent from this time last year when they took in $59.1 million.
On a brighter note, the comedy American Wedding, which dropped out of the Top Ten this week, became the 20th film released in 2003 to cross the $100 million mark with its $2.1 million take.
THE TOP TEN
Paramount Picture’s PG-13 rated comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star debuted at the top of the box office this weekend with $7 million at 2,026 theaters. Its $3,455 per theater average was the highest of any film playing wide this weekend.
In the film, Dickie Roberts, a child star grown up into a 35-year-old has-been, decides to rent a family for a month to experience the childhood he never had–and land the part of a lifetime.
Directed by Sam Weisman, it stars David Spade, Jon Lovitz, Alyssa Milano, Doris Roberts, Craig Bierko and Mary McCormack.
MGM’s R rated Jeepers Creepers 2, last week’s box office topper, came in second with an ESTIMATED $6.7 million (-56%) in its second week in 3,124 theaters (unchanged; $2,150 per theater average). Its cume is approximately $27.4 million.
Directed by Victor Salva, it stars Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Garikayi Mutambirwa and Lena Caldwell.
Buena Vista Pictures’ PG-13 rated success story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl climbed a notch to third in its ninth week with an ESTIMATED $5.5 million (-31%) at 2,203 theaters (-24 theaters; $2,497 per theater). Its cume is approximately $282 million.
Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
Buena Vista’s PG rated family remake Freaky Friday slipped two spots to take the No. 4 position in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $5.1 million (-45%) in 2,973 theaters (-94 theaters; $1,715 per theater). Its cume is $97.2 million.
Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon.
Sony Pictures’ PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. dropped one place to No. 4 in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-45%) in 2,600 theaters (-181 theaters; $1,769 per theater). Its cume is approximately $108.8 million.
Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox’s R rated supernatural thriller The Order debuted in sixth place with an ESTIMATED $4.3 million in 1,975 theaters with a $2,182 per theater average.
In the movie, a renegade priest investigates an unexplained murder in a secret Order that has existed within the Church for centuries and discovers there is a fate worse than death.
Directed by Brian Helgeland, it stars Heath Ledger, Benno Furmann and Shannyn Sossamon.
Buena Vista’s R rated Western Open Range fell two notches to come in seventh in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $4 million (-50%) in 2,268 theaters (+24 theaters; $1,764 per theater). Its cume is approximately $49.1 million.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon.
Universal Pictures’ PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit dropped two spots to finish in the No. 8 position in its seventh week with ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-44%) in 2,573 theaters (+17 theaters; $1,425 per theater). Its cume is approximately $109.6 million.
Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper.
New Line Cinema’s R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason also slipped two places to No. 9 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $3.1 million (-55%) in 2,505 theaters (-424 theaters; $1,267 per theater). Its cume is approximately $78.2 million.
Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger.
Rounding out the Top Ten is MGM’s PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls, which dropped one spot to 10th in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $2.4 million (-42%) in 2,031 theaters (-135; $1,206 per theater). Its cume is approximately $33.5 million.
Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
Last year’s top three included: Twentieth Century Fox’s PG-13 rated teen thriller Swimfan, which opened with $11.3 million in 2,855 theaters ($3,966 per theater average); the indie sleeper My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which came in second in its 21st week of release with $10.3 million at 1,695 theaters ($6,119 per theater); and Warner Bros.’ R rated thriller City by the Sea, which debuted in third place with $8.9 million in 2,575 theaters ($3,470 per theater average).
