Weekend box-office: Cage rides to best opening in his career

By Scott Rosenberg Feb 19, 2007, 1:04 GMT

Nicholas Cage likes comic books.  He has said so many times.

And now his love for screen adaptations of comics is paying off, ‘Ghost Rider’ topped the box-office this past weekend taking in $44.5 million from 3,619 locations.

Even though critics panned his performance in “Rider,” it is Cage’s best career opening - closest was the ’04 National Treasure opening at $35,142,554.  NT went on to make $173,008,894.

This is a four day holiday weekend in the USA – President’s Day and box-office pundits are calling for “Rider” to take in over $51 million by the end of the period.

Opening at No. 2 with $22 million for the three-day period was the Walt Disney Co. children's fantasy "Bridge to Terabithia," based on the award-winning children's book about two young outcasts. Movie opened in 3,139 locations.

Dropping to number three from last week’s number one opening is Paramount’s ‘Norbit.’ The Eddie Murphy laffer took in $6.8 million from 3,138 locations bringing its total to $58.9 million.

Opening Valentine’s Day, the romantic comedy ‘Music and Lyrics' which stars Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, pulled in a meager $14 million at the weekend from 2,955 locations to take forth place. Adding in its early opening take, movie has grossed $19.5 million to date.

In fifth place is Liongate’s ‘Daddy’s Little Girls’ directed by Tyler Perry. Movie about a single dad who tries to keep his daughters away from his ex-wife’s drug dealer boyfriend also opened Valentine’s Day pulling in $17.8 million to date from 2,111 locations.

With the Academy Awards six days away, the best performer among the Oscar contenders was six-time nominee 'Pan's Labyrinth,' which fell three to No. 11 with $2.2 million. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro's violent fantasy has earned $30 million domestic and $55.9 million internationally after eight weeks.