Pink Panther Beat Final Destination at Box Office

[comedyfreak]

Comic actor Steve Martin brought Inspector Clouseau back to the big screen in triumphant style as a remake of "The Pink Panther" pounced to the top of the North American box office this weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

The update of Blake Edwards' 1963 comedy classic, with Martin assuming the role Peter Sellers originated as a bumbling, oblivious French detective on the hunt for a stolen pink diamond, grossed $21.7 million its first three days in theaters, distributor Columbia Pictures said.

"Pink Panther," rated PG-13 and co-starring Kevin Kline, was picked up by Columbia from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer when parent company Sony Corp . led a group of investors in acquiring MGM's library and product.

Opening to mixed reviews in 3,477 theaters, "Panther" was the biggest of three major film releases in a weekend in which movie-going was dampened by a major winter storm hitting the U.S. Eastern seaboard.

Ranking No. 2 at the U.S.-Canadian box office was the roller-coaster thriller "Final Destination 3," from Time Warner Inc.'s New Line Cinema, generating ticket sales of $20.5 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.

However, the latest edition of the body-count horror franchise opened in nearly 600 fewer theaters and boasted a higher per-screen average than "Pink Panther" -- almost $7,000 compared with about $6,200.

Big-screen cartoon "Curious George," based on the classic children's books about a mischievous monkey and his patient handler, the Man in the Yellow Hat, landed at No. 3 with $15.3 million, according to Universal Pictures, controlled by General Electric Co.

Warner Bros. Pictures' new thriller, "Firewall," starring Harrison Ford as a security expert whose family is held hostage by high-tech bank robbers, was in fourth place, with $13.8 million in ticket sales.

Last weekend's top movie, Sony's horror remake "When a Stranger Calls," fell to fifth place on ticket sales of $10 million, down 54 percent from its first week in theaters. Its two-week tally climbed to $34.8 million.

Sony boasted a third film in the top 10 this weekend, vampire thriller "Underworld: Evolution," which grossed $2.5 million and slipped from sixth to 10th place as its cumulative total reached $57.2 million.

Focus Features' "Brokeback Mountain," the only Oscar contender in the upper rungs of the box office, declined from No. 4 to No. 8 on ticket sales of nearly $4.2 million. The gay-cowboy romance has now racked up $66.6 million during its run.

Rounding out the top 10 this weekend were the Martin Lawrence comedy sequel "Big Momma's House 2," at No. 6 with $6.8 million; the Emma Thompson family film "Nanny McPhee" at No. 7 with $5.2 million; and computer-animated fairy tale "Hoodwinked," at No. 9 with just over $2.5 million. All of this week's biggest holdovers slipped four spots from their previous rankings.

Despite snow in the Northeast on Sunday, movie business was far more robust this weekend than last, when theater-going took a back seat to the Super Bowl telecast.

Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.)
This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative
Gross Rlse
Wks # of
Theaters
1 - The Pink Panther MGM Distribution Company $21,700,000 $21,700,000 1 3477
2 - Final Destination 3 New Line Cinema $20,125,000 $20,125,000 1 2880
3 - Curious George Universal Pictures Distribution $15,319,000 $15,319,000 1 2566
4 - Firewall Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $13,830,000 $13,830,000 1 2840
5 1 When a Stranger Calls Screen Gems $10,000,000 $34,846,000 2 3004
6 2 Big Momma's House 2 20th Century Fox Distribution $6,825,000 $54,802,000 3 2733
7 3 Nanny McPhee United International Pictures, Universal Pictures Distribution $5,230,000 $33,246,000 3 2148
8 4 Brokeback Mountain N/A $4,192,000 $66,628,000 10 1963
9 5 Hoodwinked N/A $2,502,000 $47,366,000 9 2085
10 6 Underworld: Evolution Screen Gems $2,500,000 $57,246,000 4 1835
11 7 Something New Focus Features $2,481,000 $8,441,000 2 1265
12 10 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $2,123,000 $284,792,000 10 1302

[Karen*]

I think Curious George should've been on top! I AM SO PISSED, OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[PrettyinPink55]

Holy Smurftractors!!!!!

[Karen*]

Originally Posted by PrettyinPink55

Holy Smurftractors!!!!!

[Superstar]

Originally Posted by Karen: Texas Smurftractor

I think Curious George should've been on top! I AM SO PISSED, OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

ditto.