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THE WRAP: OLD GUYS TOP WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The Bucket List took the top spot at the box office this weekend after expanding to 2,911 screens. The film, in its third week of release, jumped from No. 23 to No. 1 after taking in $19.392 million. It has grossed $20.816 million in the past three weeks.

First Sunday debuted impressively at No. 2 after taking in $17.714 million. The film grossed an average of $8,004 per screen, the best of any new wide release.

Juno continued its amazing run this weekend, taking in $13.612 million despite dropping from No. 2 to No. 3. The film, which added 523 screens this weekend, has taken in more than $70.862 million in its first four weeks of release.

Last week’s top film, National Treasure: Book of Secrets dropped to No. 4 after taking in $11.302 million in its fourth weekend of release. The film has taken in $187.115 million in one month.

Rounding out the top five is Alvin and the Chipmunks, which continues to perform impressively. The film took in $9.303 million and has taken in $187.943 million in its five weeks in theatres.

Elsewhere in the top 10, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything, grossed $4.251 million in its first three days of release and entered the chart at No. 9.

Outside the top 10, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale entered the chart at No. 14 after taking in $2.985 million.

Though there were no new limited releases this weekend, There Will Be Blood continues to perform well ahead of its wide release, taking in an average of $14,421 per screen. It has grossed $4.278 million in three weekends of limited release.

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THE WRAP: NATIONAL TREASURE NO.1 AGAIN

National Treasure: Book of Secrets continued to hold the top spot on the weekend box office charts after taking in $20.225 million this weekend. The action sequel has taken in $171.033 million in its three weeks of release and is almost guaranteed to take in $200 million domestically. Get ready for National Treasure: Guidebook to New York City.

Will Smith’s I Am Legend is also likely to spawn a sequel after rising from No. 3 to No. 2 and taking in $16.3 million in its fourth week of release for a $228.638 million cume.

Juno performed exceptionally, jumping from No. 5 to No. 3 after expanding to 1,925 screens, taking in $16.225 million for a five-week total of $52.032 million.

Another surprising success, Alvin and the Chipmunks, took in another $16 million in its fourth weekend of release and dropped from No.2 to No. 4. The film has grossed $176.738 million during its North American theatrical run. The film, which was budgeted at $60 million, looks likely to crack the $200 million barrier -- a figure that all-but guarantees that there’ll at least one more go-round for this classic franchise.

Rounding out the top five is the weekend’s only new wide release -- One Missed Call -- which captured $13.525 million in its first weekend of release.

While no new film debuted in limited release, There Will Be Blood performed extremely well in limited release. The film expanded from two to 51 screens, but managed to take in an impressive $26,215 per screen, the best of any film playing this weekend. Other notable limited releases include The Bucket List, which took in an average of $19,687 on 13 screens, and Persepolis, which captured $11,428 per screen on seven screens.

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THE WRAP: SUPERBAD STILL SUPERBEST

In a weekend where five new releases debuted on more than 800 screens, last week’s top film, Superbad , helped lead the summer box office take over the $4 billion mark this weekend as it held the No. 1 spot on the North American box office chart for a second consecutive week after taking in an estimated $18 million -- a 45.5% drop from last week. The film’s $6,105 per screen average was the best of any in wide release, and in its first 10 days, the hit comedy has grossed $68.572 million. Superbad is likely to break the $100 million barrier before it leaves theaters.

The Bourne Ultimatum jumped from No. 3 to No. 2 in its fourth week on the charts after capturing $12.361 in ticket sales. Matt Damon’s latest has taken in $185.143 million in its first month of release. Bourne swapped chart position with last week’s No. 2, Rush Hour 3, which took in $12.25 million in its third week of release, and has a $109.013 million cume.

The week’s top new release is Mr. Bean’s Holiday, which landed far above prognosticators’ expectations at No. 4. The film, which has already cracked the $100 mark overseas, took in $10.121 million in its first three days of release for an impressive $5,904 per screen average.

WAR debuted at No. 5 on sales of $10 million, which is below studio expectations. The film averaged a fair $4,391 per screen.

The film most expected to open atop the box office charts, The Nanny Diaries, debuted terribly at No. 6 on sales of $7.811 million. The MGM/Weinstein Brothers production took in a weak $2,971 per screen.

Outside the top 10, Resurrecting the Champ debuted at No. 15 on weak sales of $1.849 million. Its per-screen average of $1,152 was just more than half of the No. 16 film, Illegal Tender, which took in $1.436 million on only 512 screens in its first week of release for a $2,804 per screen average.

September Dawn debuted at No. 21 on sales of $1.051 million for a weak per screen average of $1,226.

In limited release, the week’s top debut was Deep Water, which took in $21,700 on two screens for a chart-leading $10,850 per screen average. Other notable limited releases include Hannah Takes the Stairs, which took in $6,450 on one screen, and Dedication, which grossed $24,000 on four screens for a $6,000 per screen average.

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THE WRAP: SUPERBAD ROCKS THE BOX

Superbad blew up at the box office this weekend, besting most box office estimates en route to topping the North American box office this weekend.

The Sony comedy took in $31.2 million in its first three days of release for a strong $10,583 per screen average, the best average of any film in wide release. The raunchy, well-reviewed comedy, which is likely to be the last big hit of the summer, took advantage of its mid-August opening slot by building up strong buzz with its steady, summer-long ad campaign.

With a $20 million production budget (and an ad budget that is likely equal), the film will make its money back from its domestic theatre run and might rack up more than $100 million in profit for its producers and distributors when foreign, DVD, and other ancillary revenue eventually rolls in.

Last week’s top film, Rush Hour 3, dropped to the No. 2 spot this weekend after grossing $21.831 million in its second weekend of release for a 10-day total of $88.154 million.

The Bourne Ultimatum dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 on ticket sales of $18.986 million. The film has grossed $163.806 million in its three weeks of domestic release and looks likely to break the $200 million mark domestically during its big-screen run.

Last week’s No. 3 film, The Simpsons Movie, dropped to No. 4 after grossing $6.675 million this weekend. The animated feature has taken in $165.117 million in four weeks of release and has an outside shot at the $200 million mark.

Rounding out the top five is The Invasion. The Nicole Kidman-Daniel Craig remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers took in $6 million this weekend for a dreadful $2,161 per screen average.

Outside the top 10, The Weinstein Company’s The Last Legion opened at No. 12 on sales of $2.597 million. It grossed a terrible $1,297 per screen.

In limited release, Death at a Funeral debuted at No. 17 after grossed $1.303 million after debuting on 260 screens for a fair per screen average of $5,011.

Outside the top 20, The 11th Hour opened strongly on four screens with $56,000. Its per-screen average of $14,000 tied for best of any film released on North American screens this weekend.

The well-reviewed documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters grossed $50,300 on five screens for a strong $10,060 per screen average. Manda Balla (Send a Bullet) grossed $14,000 on one screen. 7 Dias grossed $9,520 on nine screens for a $1,190 per screen average.

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THE WRAP: RUSH HOUR 3 TOPS CHART

Rush Hour 3 topped the weekend box office, finishing with a slightly lower estimated three-day take than most predicted -- $50.237 million -- that placed its opening weekend take lower than that of Rush Hour 2.

The Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker action comedy wrapped the trilogy six years after the second film graced screens. Fans seemed relatively undisturbed by the long span between films, and the movie averaged $13,297 per screen -- the best of any film in wide release this weekend.

Last week’s top film, The Bourne Ultimatum, dropped to No. 2 this weekend after taking in $33.672 million, for an impressive 10-day cume of $132.345 million and a strong $9,135 per screen average.

Former No. 1 The Simpsons Movie continues to perform well, capturing $11.125 million for a three-week gross of $152.237 million.

Despite strong reviews, Stardust debuted weakly at No. 4, taking in $9.011 million. The $70-million budgeted film averaged $3,547 per screen.

Rounding out the top five is Underdog, which grossed $6.456 million in its second week of release for a 10-day gross of $24.747 million.

Daddy Day Camp opened at the bottom of the top 10 after taking in $3.55 million this weekend for a five-day cume of $5.035 million. The film averaged $1,522 per screen this weekend.

Outside the top 10, Skinwalkers limped onto 737 screens with a three-day take of $565,000, which translated into a miserable $766 per screen average.

In limited release, 2 Days in Paris exploded onto 10 screens, taking in $181,000 for an chart-topping $18,100 per screen average. Rocket Science also debuted impressively in limited release, taking in $56,900 on six screens for a strong $9,483 per screen average. Dans Paris took in $13,200 on only two screens for a $6,600 per screen average.

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BOURNE IDENTIFIES; CAPS THE COMPETITION

The Bourne Ultimatum topped the box office on a weekend where four films debuted on more than 1,500 screens and two additional buzzworthy limited releases battled for space on North American theatre screens.

The final film in the Bourne trilogy took in $69.284 million in its first three days of release. The film captured a powerful $18,929 per screen and dropped last week’s top film, The Simpsons Movie, to No. 2.

Springfield’s most famous family saw its ticket sales drop a steep 66.1% weekend to weekend, but the film still took in a strong $25.111 million, raising its 10-day cumulative total to $128.061 million. The film, which was budgeted at $75, has taken in more than $300 million worldwide in just over a week.

Underdog debuted at No. 3 on sales of $11.585 million, which translated into a weak $3,845 per screen. The film was unable to defeat The Simpsons’ juggernaut, but still entered the chart where most box office prognosticators predicted that it would.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 on sales of $10.626 million, for a three-week total of $91.795 million.

Rounding out the top five is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which grossed $9.522 million this weekend for a four-week total of $261.027 million.

Elsewhere in the top 10, Hot Rod debuted weakly at No. 9 after capturing $5.311 million for a $2,037 per screen average. Rounding out the top 10 was BRATZ, which did not reach many tweens, taking in $4.208 million this weekend for a $2,788 per screen average.

The Jennifer Lopez-Marc Anthony biopic El Cantante entered the chart at No. 12 and grossed $3.202 million in its first three days of release for a fair $5,907 per screen average. Meanwhile, the Jane Austen biopic Becoming Jane took in $972,066 for a strong (if not spectacular) $9,720 average per screen.

In limited release Gandhi My Father took in $174,425 on 38 screens for a $4,590 per screen average. The Ten grossed $121,374 on its opening weekend for a $4,854 per screen average.

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THE WRAP: HOMER AND THE GANG MAKE LOTS OF D'OH

The Simpsons Movie exceeded the expectations of both Fox and box office gurus this weekend after taking in $71.85 million in its first three days of North American release. The film, which cost a relatively inexpensive $75 million to make took in $167 million worldwide this weekend, and turned a profit in three days. The film took in $18,319 per screen, the best of any film show on North American screens this weekend.

Last week’s top film, I Now Pronounce You Chck and Larry, grossed $19.063 million in its second weekend of release, for a 10-day total of $71.61 million.

Following at No. 3 is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which captured $17.065 million in sales this weekend and has taken in $241.771 million in its three weeks of release.

Hairspray dropped from No. 3 to No. 4 this week, taking in $15.55 million for a strong 10-day cume of $59.307 million.

Rounding out the top five is No Reservations which debuted with an $11.755 million opening weekend. The film grossed an average of $4,847 per screen.

Two other new releases debuted in the top 10: The Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me took in $3.4 million this weekend, for a flop-tastic $2,575 per screen average. The film, which opened at No. 9, was hurt tremendously by Lohan’s inability to promote it due to her off-screen exploits and will end up on video by early fall.

Joining it on video store shelves will be Who’s Your Caddy, which opened at No. 10 on sales of $2.9 million over its first three days of release. The African-American Caddyshack rip-off grossed $2,845 per screen.

Three films opened in limited release: Moliere took in $32,900 on six screens for a $5,483 per screen average; No End In Sight grossed $32,000 on two screens for a strong $16,000 per screen average; and Arctic Tale took in $20,600 on four screens -- a $5,150 average per screen.

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THE WRAP: CHUCK AND LARRY MORE POWERFUL THAN VOLDEMORT; DROP HARRY POTTER

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry proved a more powerful foe for Harry Potter than Voldemort was after the Sandler-James flick took home an estimated $34.775 million in its first three days of release, knocking last week’s top film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to the No. 2 spot after the latter saw its ticket sales fall 58.3% from its first weekend of release to its second.

Chuck and Larry, which grossed as much as most observers expected it to, also posted the best per screen average of any wide release: $9,949. Meanwhile, Potter grossed $32.185 million for a 10-day total of $207.541 million. The film might have been hurt slightly by the fact that the final book in the Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit bookstores at midnight Saturday, and those fans who might have seen Potter a second time this weekend instead had their attentions diverted by the 700+ page tome, which sold 8.3 million copies in the United States in its first two das on store shelves.

The weekend’s other new wide release, Hairspray, performed very well, taking in $27.8 million this weekend for a strong $8,907 per screen average. The film opened above expectations of a low-20s opening and held the No. 3 spot on this weekend’s box office chart.

Transformers continues to perform well in its third weekend of release, grossing $20.506 million for an impressive $262.969 million total after 17 days of release. The week’s No. 4 film will likely near (and possibly cross) the $300 million mark by the end of next weekend, and expect the official announcement of Transformers 2 soon.

Rounding out the top five is Ratatouille, which took in $11 million this weekend for a four-week total of $165.628 million.

In limited release, director Danny Boyle’s Sunshine took in $235,000 despite unreeling on only 10 screens, for a chart-leading $23,500 per screen average. The poorly-reviewed Goya’s Ghosts grossed $167,000 on 49 screens for a weak average of $3,408 per screen.

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THE WRAP: HARRY POTTER STILL MAGIC THE FIFTH TIME AROUND

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the seven-movie series, opened to a $77.41 million gross over the three day weekend, and a more impressive $140.017 million over its first five days of release.

Potter broke the slump faced by most of this summer’s sequels, exploding onto screens with a $18,065 per screen average, the best of any film in theatres this weekend. Worldwide, the film took in approximately $330 million in its first five days of global release.

Last week’s top film, Transformers, took in $36 million in its second week of release, and landed in second place, for a 10-day cume of $222.99 million.

Ratatouille landed at No. 3 after taking in $18.019 million in its third week of release, for a total North American take of $143.004 million.

Live Free or Die Hard broke the $100 million mark, and placed No. 4 this week after selling $10.875 million of tickets over the three-day weekend. The fourth film in the series has taken in $102.918 million in its first three weeks of release.

Rounding out the top five is License to Wed, which grossed $7.44 million this weekend, for a 10-day gross of $30.508 million.

The only other wide release this weekend, Captivity, debuted at No. 12 after taking in an abysmal $1.55 million this weekend. The horror-porn flick that Kernan decried in a recent column, is likely to leave theatres quickly.

In limited release, the well-reviewed Focus release Talk to Me took in $391,000 on 33 screens for an impressive $11,848 per screen average. My Best Friend took in $46,500 on three screens for a terrific $15,500 per screen average. Rounding out the new limited releases was Interview, which grossed $41,600 on six screens for a $6,933 per screen average.

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THE WRAP: TRANSFORMERS BLOWS AWAY COMPETITION

Transformers lit up the box office in its first six-and-a-half days of release and blew away the competition after taking in $67.6 million this weekend and $152.5 million since it hit North American theatre screens Monday night. The film took in an average of $16,853 per screen -- the best of any wide release this weekend and earned back its $150 million production budget in less than a week.

The film has performed extremely well with young audiences and Latino and African-American audiences, and has an outside shot at cracking the $300 million mark domestically. (And yes, Paramount and Dreamworks are probably green-lighting the sequel if they haven’t already.)

Ratatouille has performed very well in its first 10 days of release. This weekend’s No. 2 film took in $29.029 million from Friday through Sunday and its 10-day cume is $109.546 million.

Also performing well is Live Free or Die Hard which took in $17.4 million in its second weekend of release for a 10-day total of $84.16 million.

License to Wed debuted at No. 4 this week, taking in $10.4 million from Friday to Sunday. The film, which opened Wednesday, has taken in $17.816 million in its first five days of release -- a decent number when one considers how badly the film was butchered by reviewers.

Rounding out the top five is mega-flop Evan Almighty which took in $8.114 million this weekend and which has grossed $78.101 million in its first three weeks of release. The film is unlikely to break $100 million domestically and won’t come close to earning back its reported $175 million production budget.

In limited release, the well-reviewed Rescue Dawn took in $104,000 on 6 screens for a chart-leading average of $17,333 per screen. The film has taken in $162,000 since it hit theatre screens Wednesday.

Another limited release, Joshua, took in $51,100 in its first three days of release. The film, which opened on six screens, took in an impressive $8,516 per movie house.

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