NATIONAL TREASURE remained tops at the U.S. box office over the three-day period from Friday, December 27 through Sunday, December 29, and the top four slots remained in the hands of hold-over titles, allowing little room for new films to find a niche in the marketplace.
ALIENS VS PREDATOR: REQUIEM, in 2,611 theatres, had to settle for sixth place, with $10.05-million worth of tickets sold during its first weekend of release. Combined with its Christmas Day debut, the film’s total stands at $26.88-million.
THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP swam into seventh place with $9.2-million, earned in 2,772 theatres. The film also debuted on Christmas Day; the Tuesday to Sunday total is $16.82-million.
As for hold-over fantasy, sci-fi, and horror films…
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS showed impressive staying power, rising from third to second place in its third weekend of release. Earning $30-million, the animated film lifted its total to $142.38-million.
I AM LEGEND, also in its third week, showed ever so slight signs of decay, slipping from second to third place – the first time it has fallen behind the CHIPMUNKS movie. Not to worry, however, LEGEND added another $27.5-million to its hefty three-week gross of $194.58-million.
SWEENEY TODD slipped from #5 to #9, where it sliced its way through $8-million worth of tickets. After two weekends in theatres, the total is $26.72-million.
ENCHANTED materialized in 10th place, down three notches fom the previous weekend. The film added $6.5-million to its $110.65-million total.
THE GOLDEN COMPASS dropped out of the Top Ten, sliding from #9 to #12. With a $4.36-million weekend, the U.S. toal is now a disappointing. $58.87-million.
Read the complete Top Ten here.