Rasputia (left), played by 2007 Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy, confronts her husband Norbit (also played by Murphy), in a scene from the hilarious 'Norbit'. LOS ANGELES (Reuters):
Nicolas Cage led the North American box office for a second weekend, while Jim Carrey's first attempt at a psychological thriller opened at the lower end of expectations, and the films competing for Academy Awards later on Sunday fought for the scraps.
Cage's action-hero thriller Ghost Rider sold an estimated US$19.7 million worth of tickets in the three days beginning on Friday, distributor Columbia Pictures said. After 10 days, the US$110 million Marvel Comics adaptation has grossed a strong US$78.7 million, despite a critical pasting.
Carrey's first film in 14 months, The Number 23, was even more ridiculed by critics. But it still led the four new entrants in the top 10, opening at No. 2 with US$15.1 million. The film's distributor, New Line Cinema, had hoped the movie would open in the US$15 million to US$18 million range, but predicted that the US$30 million film would be profitable.
The movie, directed by Joel Schumacher, stars Carrey as a man obsessed with the titular number. Virginia Madsen gets around, playing both Carrey's wife, and the wife of Billy Bob Thornton's character in the family drama The Astronaut Farmer, which opened at No. 9 with US$4.5 million.
new in the box
Also new were the police spoof Reno 911! Miami at No. 4, with US$10.4 million, and the slavery saga Amazing Grace at No. 10 with US$4.3 million.
Reno 911! Miami, based on a popular Comedy Central cable TV series, Reno 911, also opened at the lower end of distributor 20th Century Fox's expectations. But, with a budget under US$10 million, it will be profitable, the studio said.
The Astronaut Farmer stars Thornton as a small-town oddball who launches into space in a home-made rocket. Its modest opening was on target, said distributor Warner Bros. Pictures. Two-thirds of the audience was over age 30, the studio added.
At No. 10, British director Michael Apted's Amazing Grace stars Ioan Gruffudd as 18th century antislavery pioneer William Wilberforce. It was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage stars as motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze and his title rol ego in the exciting 'Ghost Rider'.
Top 10 movies at the box office
| 1. | Ghost Rider |
US$9.7 million 2. | The Number 23 |
US$15.1 million 3. | Bridge to Terabithia |
US$13.6 million 4. | Reno 911! Miami |
US$10.4 million 5. | Norbit |
USUS$ 9.7 million 6. | Music and Lyrics |
US$8.0 million 7. | Breach |
US$6.2 million 8. | Daddy's Little Girls |
US$5.3 million 9. | The Astronaut Farmer |
US$4.5 million 10. | Amazing Grace |
US$4.3 million |
