Weekend box-office: Norbit proves critics wrong

Certainly one of the hottest movie topics swirling around the “net” last week (Ok, ok so Anna Nicole Smith was #1) were critics pan of Eddie Murphy’s new movie ‘Norbit’ which opened February 9th in the USA.

“‘Norbit’ a True Horror”, “Does Eddie Murphy Even Care About Oscar Gold?” “The Oscar Assassination Attempt Against Eddie Murphy” the headlines screamed.But two weeks before Oscar ballots are due, (by 5 pm February 20) Eddie has his revenge – ‘Norbit’ opened strong with a take of $33.7 million from 3,136 locations this past weekend. Murphy, a strong contender for the Best Supporting Actor statuette for his role in ‘Dreamgirls,’ plays multiple roles in ‘Norbit’ – a comedy about a regular guy (Murphy) and his obnoxious plus-size fiancée (Murphy). This is Murphy’s second biggest opener in his twenty-five year career – his first back in 2000 was ‘The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps’ which opened at $42.5 million.According to “E! Online,” movies featuring black comics donning latex, padding and assorted accoutrements to play obese women, Norbit proved bigger than Martin Lawrence's Big Momma's House ($25.7 million in 2000) and Big Momma's House 2 ($27.8 million in 2006), and even Murphy's original Nutty Professor ($25.4 million in 1996).Opening in second place in this week’s box-office race was MGM/Weinstein Co’s ‘Hannibal Rising.’ The new Hannibal Lecter flic pulled in an anemic $13.4 million, from 3,003 locations.This is only the second time a “Lecter” thriller has not featured Anthony Hopkins in the man (and woman) eating role – Hopkins last Hannibal movie ‘Red Dragon’ debuting in 2002 at $36.5 million. Back in 1986 ‘Manhunter’ opened with $2.2 million from 779 locations. Hannibal Lecter is the creation of author Thomas Harris.The Diane Keaton laffer, ‘Because I Said So’ pulled in a weak $9 million for third place in its second week of release. Movie played at 2,529 locations. Total cume at $25.6 million.In fourth place, Sony’s ‘The Messenger,’ also in its second week of release took in $7.2 million from 2,529 locations for a total take to date of $24.7 million.And still hanging in, now in fifth place, after eight weeks is Fox’s ‘Night at the Museum’ taking in $5.8 million from 2,702 locations for a total take of $232.1 million to date. Other Oscar contenders in the top ten box-office this week were, in eighth place, ‘Pan's Labyrinth’ with $3.6 million, ninth place ‘Dreamgirls’ with $3.1 million and in tenth place ‘The Queen,’ (which just took best film at the Orange BAFTA’s) net an additional $2.5 million bringing its twenty week play to a total cume of $49,035,000.Will Smith's 'The Pursuit of Happyness' ($2.4 million; $160.5 million overall) and 'Stomp the Yard' ($2.4 million; $59.1 million overall) both fell out of the Top 10 after several weeks.Overall box office was down again when compared to the previous year.