'Fahrenheit 9/11' tops $8-million Friday at theaters

LOS ANGELES - Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore's assault on President Bush, took in $8.2-million to $8.4-million in its first day, positioning it as the weekend's No. 1 film, its distributors said Saturday.

Based on Friday's numbers, Fahrenheit 9/11 was on track for an opening weekend that would surpass the $21.6-million total gross of Moore's Bowling for Columbine, his 2002 film that earned him an Academy Award for best documentary.

Friday grosses for Fahrenheit 9/11 ran about $1.5-million ahead of its closest competitor, the Wayans brothers comedy White Chicks. The performance of Fahrenheit 9/11 was even more remarkable considering it played in just 868 theaters, fewer than a third the number for White Chicks.

Bowling for Columbine holds the record for highest domestic gross among documentaries, excluding concert films and movies made for IMAX theaters.

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