"They make people feel good, and they can relate to the underdog," Chris LeRoy, general sales manager at Disney told The Associated Press. "They are sports-related stories, but I think these movies transcend the sport and get right to characters that people relate to."
Invincible, along with other newcomers, pushed last week’s champ Snakes on a Plane down the list to sixth place with $6.4 million.
But the drinking comedy Beerfest fizzled in fourth with $6.5 million, while the musical drama Idlewild, starring Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton of OutKast, failed to hit a note with moviegoers with its $5.9 million ninth place finish. The new family comedy How to Eat Fried Worms failed to even make the Top 10, opening in 11th place with $4 million.
The big success story this week, however, is the Sundance darling Little Miss Sunshine. Expanding to its widest release yet, the indie took the third spot with $7.5 million.
The top 12 movies grossed $83.8 million, up 4.34 percent from last year’s draw of $80.4 but down 8.25 percent from last weekend, which took in $91.4 million.
The Top Three films at the box office this time last year were: Universal’s The 40 Year-Old Virgin, which stayed at No. 1 in its second week with $16.2 million in 2,868 theaters, averaging $5,675 per theater; Miramax’s The Brothers Grimm, which debuted in second place with $15 million in 3,087 theaters, averaging $4,889 per theaters; and DreamWorks’ Red Eye, which dropped to third place in its second week of release with $10.2 million in 3,091 theaters, averaging $3,329 per theaters (Click here to read last year's box office report).
BOX OFFICE TOP 10, ESTIMATES
(Source: Exhibitor Relations, Inc.)
No. 1: Invincible (Buena Vista, PG)
• Gross: $17 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,917
• Per-theater average: $5,838
No. 2: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Sony, PG-13)
• Gross: $8 million (-42%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,370 (-371)
• Per-theater average: $2,374
• Cume to date: $127.6 million
No. 3: Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight, R)
• Gross: $7.5 million (+34%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 1,430 (+739)
• Per-theater average: $5,245
• Cume to date: $23 million
No. 4: Beerfest (Warner Bros., R)
• Gross: $6.5 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,964
• Per-theater average: $2,193
No. 5: Accepted (Universal, PG-13)
• Gross: $6.5 million (-35%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,917 (+3)
• Per-theater average: $2,228
• Cume to date: $21.1 million
No. 6: Snakes on a Plane (New Line, R)
• Gross: $6.4 million (-58%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 3,555 (unchanged)
• Per-theater average: $1,800
• Cume to date: $26.5 million
• Cume to date: $26.5 million
No. 7 : World Trade Center (Paramount, PG-13)
• Gross: $6.3 million (-41%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 3,021 (+23)
• Per-theater average: $2,116
• Cume to date: $55.5 million
No. 8: Step Up (Buena Vista, PG-13)
• Gross: $6.1 million (-39%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 2,647 (+8)
• Per-theater average: $2,337
• Cume to date: $50.4 million
No. 9: Idlewild (Universal, R)
• Gross: $5.9 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 973
• Per-theater average: $6,064
No. 10: Barnyard (Paramount, PG)
• Gross: $5.4 million (-28%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,003 (-224)
• Per-theater average: $1,809
• Cume to date: $54.7 million
OTHER OPENINGS
The Quiet (Sony Pictures Classics, R)
• Gross: $28,738
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 7
• Per-theater average: $4,105
