That it would debut in the #1 spot was a foregone conclusion, but Sony/Screen Gems’ "When a Stranger Calls" did a whole heckuva lot better than that by grossing an unexpectedly high (albeit estimated) $22m from just about 3,000 screens. Sony chose to shield the flick from the press, as if teenagers interested in PG-13 horror movies give a wet slap what film critics think.
Dropping 51% into second place was the comedy in which Martin Lawrence dresses up like a fat old lady. "Big Momma’s House 2" made about $13.3 million over the weekend, lifting its total tally to $45.4 million.
In third place was Universal’s family comedy "Nanny McPhee," which added another $9.9 million to its $26.6 million total.
Gaining an addition 400+ screens over the weekend was Oscar favorite "Brokeback Mountain," which broached the top five with a $5.6m haul. Its grand total presently stands at $59.7 million.
Rounding out the top five was the animated comedy "Hoodwinked," which tucked another $5.3 million into its $44m piggy bank.
Focus’ "Something New" semi-sputtered out of the gate, tallying about $5 million from 1,200 theaters, placing it seventh behind Sony’s "Underworld: Evolution," which added another $5.1 million to its $52.7 million kitty.
Next week sees the wide release of four big titles: The feature-length debut of "Curious George," the Harrison Ford thriller "Firewall," the long-delayed farce remake "The Pink Panther," and the horror sequel "Final Destination 3."
As always, you can visit the Rotten Tomatoes Box Office Page for a closer look at the weekend numbers.
