HOLLYWOOD - Danny Ocean and his gang of thieves robbed the box office crown from National Treasure's chest this weekend.The heist sequel Ocean's Twelve--starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon--debuted at No. 1 with a hefty $40.8 million, relegating reigning champ National Treasure to third place. Blade: Trinity, which opened Wednesday, took second place with $16.1 million, followed by Treasure with $9.9 million.
Ocean's Twelve became the fourth highest December opener of all time, besting the original Ocean's Eleven, which opened in 2001 with $38.1 million, while Blade: Trinity, the third installment in the vampire hunter franchise starring Wesley Snipes, fell below expectations set out by its predecessors, including Blade, which opened in 1998 with $17 million and Blade II, which opened in 2002 with $32.5 million.
This weekend, the Top 12 films grossed an estimated $102.8 million, up 30.08 percent from last weekend's $79 million take and up 28.04 percent from last year's draw of $80.2 million.
The Top Three films at the box office this time last year were: Sony Pictures PG-13 rated Something's Gotta Give, which opened at the No. 1 spot with $16 million in 2,677 theaters, averaging $6,001 per theater; Warner Bros. R-rated The Last Samurai, which dropped to second place in its second week with $14 million in 2,908 theaters, averaging $4,844 per theater; and 20th Century Fox's PG-13 rated Stuck on You, which debuted in third place with $9.4 million in 3,003 theaters, averaging $3,134 per theater.
BOX OFFICE TOP 10, ESTIMATES:
(Source: Exhibitor Relations, Inc.)
No. 1: Ocean's Twelve (Warner Bros., PG-13)
• Gross: $40.8 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 3,290
• Per-theater average: $12,426
No. 2: Blade: Trinity (New Line Cinema, R)
• Gross: $16.1 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,912
• Per-theater average: $5,537
• Cume to date: $24.5 million (opened Wednesday)
No. 3: National Treasure (Buena Vista, PG)
• Gross: $9.9 million (-41%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,203 (-40)
• Per-theater average: $3,115
• Cume to date: $124.2 million
No. 4: The Polar Express (Warners Bros., G)
• Gross: $9.7 million (-9%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 3,257 (-393)
• Per-theater average: $2,998
• Cume to date: $110 million
No. 5: Christmas with the Kranks (Sony Pictures, PG)
• Gross: $7.6 million (-32%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 3,294 (-122)
• Per-theater average: $2,307
• Cume to date: $54.7 million
No. 6: The Incredibles (Buena Vista/Pixar, PG)
• Gross: $5 million (-44%)
• Weeks opened: 6
• Theaters: 2,656 (-522)
• Per-theater average: $1,899
• Cume to date: $232.5 million
No. 7: The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (Paramount Pictures, PG)
• Gross: $4.3 million (-43%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,307 (unchanged)
• Per-theater average: $1,318
• Cume to date: $73.5 million
No. 8: Closer (Sony Pictures, R)
• Gross: $3.7 million (-51%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 622 (+146)
• Per-theater average: $6,029
• Cume to date: $13.7 million
No. 9: Finding Neverland (Miramax, PG)
• Gross: $1.6 million (-39%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 537 (+11)
• Per-theater average: $3,151
• Cume to date: $14.2 million
No. 10: Alexander (Warner Bros., R)
• Gross: $1.4 million (-70%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 2,125 (-320)
• Per-theater average: $661
• Cume to date: $32.5 million
OTHER OPENINGS
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Buena Vista, R)
• Gross: $114,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2
• Per-theater average: $57,000