Cast member Geoffrey Rush poses with a trained monkey at the premiere of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' in Anaheim, California, on May 19. - ReutersLOS ANGELES (AP):
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End hit an ebb tide in its second weekend, but still had enough buoyancy to hold the number one spot at the box office.
With a US$43.2 million weekend, Disney's blockbuster sequel sank a steep 62.4 per cent from its US$114.7 million opening a week earlier, according to studio estimates yesterday.
Universal's romantic comedy Knocked Up, starring Katherine Heigl as a career woman who gets pregnant from a one-night stand with a slacker (Seth Rogen), debuted a strong number two with US$29.3 million. The movie's weekend gross equalled its entire production budget.
"It looks like a lot of people wanted to get knocked up this weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.
MGM's thriller Mr. Brooks, with Kevin Costner as a mild-mannered businessman who moonlights as a serial killer, premiered in fourth place with US$10 million.
Picturehouse's sports tale Gracie, featuring Elisabeth Shue in a film inspired by tragic events in her own life and her teenage days as the only girl on a boys soccer team, opened at number seven with US$1.4 million.
The big drop for Pirates of the Caribbean was typical of summer flicks that open to colossal numbers. In the second weekend, Sony's Spider-Man 3 tumbled 62 per cent from its record US$151.1 million debut, while DreamWorks Animation's Shrek the Third fell 57 per cent from its US$121.6 million opening.
Shrek the Third took in US$26.7 million domestically to lift its total to US$254.6 million. It is rolling out gradually overseas.
With US$7.5 million, Spider-Man 3 padded its domestic haul to US$318.3 million. Worldwide, Spider-Man 3 has taken in US$844 million, surpassing 2002's Spider-Man (US$821 million) to become the biggest hit in Sony's history.
Listing
1. Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End, $43.2m
2. Knocked Up, US$29.3m
3. Shrek the Third, US$26.7m
4. Mr. Brooks, US$10m
5. Spider-Man 3, US$7.5m
6. Waitress, US$2m
7. Gracie, US$1.4m
8. Bug, US$1.22m
9. 28 Weeks Later, US$1.2m
10. Disturbia, US$1.1m
