The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday for final figures based on actual box office.
New Line Cinema and HBO Films' Sex and the City surpassed all expectations, opening to an estimated $55.7 million from 3,285 theaters for an average of $16,968 per location. The Friday-to-Sunday figure marks the biggest R-rated comedy opening of all time, beating the $45.1 million debut of American Pie in 1999. Among all R-rated films, it ranks as the fifth-biggest behind The Matrix Reloaded ($91.8 million), The Passion of The Christ ($83.8 million), 300 ($70.9 million) and Hannibal ($58 million). The film is also the best opening ever for a live-action adaptation of a TV series, beating Mission: Impossible's $45 million opening. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, the Michael Patrick King-directed pic cost about $65 million to make.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dropped a respectable 54% in its second weekend to $46 million to bring its domestic total to an impressive $216.8 million so far. The movie was budgeted at around $185 million.
Also performing better-than-expected was Rogue Pictures' The Strangers in third place. The suspense thriller, starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, earned an estimated $20.7 million from 2,467 theaters for an average of $8,393. Written and directed by Bryan Bertino, the movie only cost $9 million to make.
Marvel Studios and Paramount's Iron Man added another $14 million its fifth weekend in fourth to bring its domestic total to $276.6 million. The Robert Downey Jr. starrer was budgeted at $140 million.
The comic book adaptation passed up The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which had to settle for third place with $13 million. After three weeks, the sequel has collected $115.7 million compared to its budget of $200 million.
In sixth, Fox's What Happens in Vegas earned $6.9 million to bring its total to $66.1 million after four weeks. The comedy cost just $35 million to make.
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