Digest

'Ghost Rider' retains top spot at box office

By TIMES WIRES
Published February 26, 2007

The comic-book adaptation Ghost Rider burned the competition at the weekend box office, fending off a rush of new movies to rake in $19.7-million in its second week, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Sony film starring Nicolas Cage as a motorcycle stuntman turned Satanic bounty hunter continued its momentum after debuting with $52-million over the four-day Washington's Birthday weekend, the biggest opening ever for that holiday. Premiering at No. 2 with $15.1-million was the New Line Cinema psychological thriller The Number 23, starring Jim Carrey. The other new movies included the 20th Century Fox police spoof Reno 911!: Miami" (No. 4, with $10.4-million) and The Astronaut Farmer (No. 9, with $4.5-million). Disney's Bridge to Terabithia slipped to third place with $13.6-million, and Dreamworks' Eddie Murphy comedy Norbit rounded out the top five with $9.7-million. The rest of the top 10: Music & Lyrics, $8-million; Breach, $6.2-million; Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, $5.3-million; and Amazing Grace, $4.3-million.

[Last modified February 25, 2007, 23:16:15]