The Coming Soon! Box Office Report has been updated with the studio estimates for the weekend. Be sure to stay tuned there for the final figures on Monday.
Sarah Michelle Gellar horror thriller remake The Grudge, executive produced by Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man" franchise) and helmed by Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On, Ju-On 2), took over the top box office spot from three week champ Shark Tale, making an impressive $40 million from 3,245 locations. The Columbia Pictures release has surpassed 2002's Red Dragon ($36.5 million) to become the third-biggest opening for the month of October, trailing just Shark Tale ($47.6 million) and Scary Movie 3 ($48.1 million). The Grudge also only cost about $10 million to produce and will be very profitable for the studio.
DreamWorks' animated Shark Tale dropped to the second spot with $14.3 million after staying in first place for its first three weeks. The $75 million-budgeted comedy has collected $136.9 million in four weeks.
Miramax romantic comedy Shall We Dance?, starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon, added 646 theaters for a total of 2,419 and climbed to the third spot with $8.6 million in its second weekend. The $50 million-budgeted feature has earned $24.4 million so far.
High school football drama Friday Night Lights, starring Billy Bob Thornton, dropped two spots to fourth with $7 million. The Universal release has garnered $47.3 million so far.
Trey Parker's and Matt Stone's Team America: World Police rounded out the top five making $6.6 million in its second weekend for a total of $22.3 million, while sixth place belonged to Touchstone's Touchstone's Ladder 49, which made $5.4 million in its fourth weekend for a total of $61.5 million.
In the future, studios will think twice about opening a Christmas movie before Halloween, as DreamWorks' Surviving Christmas bombed in the seventh spot with only $4.5 million from 2,750 theaters. The comedy stars Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini.
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