The party didn't stop for The Hangover, which led Friday with an estimated $10.4 million. The comedy was off 38 percent from last Friday, increasing its gross to $82.4 million in eight days. By comparison, Wedding Crashers saw a smaller drop at the same point (28 percent) but was grossing less with an eight-day tally of around $70 million, adjusted for ticket price inflation. Hangover's trajectory suggests a weekend of around $32 million, which would be enough for the top spot.
Coming in second with the smallest dip of all nationwide releases (32 percent), Up generated an estimated $8.9 million, growing its total to $165.5 million in 15 days. Pixar's comedy adventure has set a course for a third weekend in the vicinity of $29 million.
Debuting in third, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 brought in an estimated $8.2 million on approximately 4,400 screens at 3,074 sites. The action thriller featuring Denzel Washington and John Travolta was within the typical range for a Washington thriller but packed less out of the gate than Inside Man and Man on Fire among others adjusted for ticket price inflation. Taking's headed for a $25 million weekend.
Meanwhile, Imagine That opened at about the same level as the last Eddie Murphy family comedy, Meet Dave, mustering an estimated $1.8 million on around 3,200 screens at 3,008 sites. Its weekend should come in at around $5 million.
Among other holdovers, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian had a decent drop, off 36 percent to an estimated $3 million for a $136.8 million tally in 22 days. Land of the Lost, on the other hand, lost 59 percent to an estimated $2.9 million, bringing its total to $28.7 million in eight days. Star Trek held well, down 37 percent to an estimated $1.6 million, and reached $228 million in 36 days, while Terminator Salvation, Drag Me to Hell and others saw standard declines.
