Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) speaks to an audience as he prepares to board his ark in 'Evan Almighty'. LOS ANGELES (AP):
Steve Carell proved not nearly as all-powerful as Jim Carrey.
Evan Almighty, with Carell taking over for Carrey in a follow-up to the comedy smash Bruce Almighty, made its debut at a solid No. 1 with US$32.1 million (€23.88 million), though that was less than half the US$68 million (€50.59 million) opening of its predecessor, according to studio estimates yesterday.
Released by Universal, Evan Almighty has Carell as a new congressman instructed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark for a coming flood.
Carrey's Bruce Almighty was an adult comedy, while Evan Almighty was aimed at a family crowd, which could give it longer shelf life, said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution at Universal.
"Family films have an incredible ability to just play and play," Rocco said. "I'm very optimistic about it playing out over the course of the summer."
The Stephen King adaptation 1408, a Weinstein Co. horror tale with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in the story of a man trapped in a hotel room with malevolent spirits, made its debut in second place with US$20.175 million (€15.01 million).
Paramount Vantage's A Mighty Heart, starring Angelina Jolie as the wife of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl, had a so-so debut, coming in at No. 10 with US$4 million (€2.98 million).
Health care documentary
Michael Moore's health care documentary Sicko got a head-start on its nationwide debut on Friday with an early opening at one New York City theater, where it took in US$70,000 (€52,079) for the weekend.
Sicko also had sold-out sneak previews Saturday night at 43 other theaters around the country, where tickets were so in demand they were being scalped for as much as US$40 (€30) each, said Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of the Weinstein Co., which is releasing Sicko along with Lionsgate.
The early screenings were intended to get interest focused on the movie itself, rather than publicity over a U.S. Treasury Department investigation of Moore's trip to Cuba for the film to get medical care for ailing September 11 rescue workers. When notified of the investigation in May, the filmmakers worried the government might try to seize the film or impede its release, Weinstein said.
"It's trying to get people talking about the movie, rather than the idea of the government trying to shut down the movie," Weinstein said. "It's saying to the government, 'Hey, this movie is out there being appreciated by people. Think twice before you try to confiscate or take any legal action'."
Psychological chills
Unlike most of today's blood-soaked horror flicks, 1408 offered a mix of psychological chills and engaging characters, said Weinstein, an executive producer on the film.
"The movies I grew up on were like The Exorcist, The Omen, Poltergeist. Those were a combination of the supernatural and they kept the audience involved in the characters. That was the old-school, basic scary movie. This one is more in that vein," Weinstein said.
The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, the 20th Century Fox sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, finished just behind 1408 with US$20.15 million (€14.99 million), raising its 10-day total to $97.6 million (€72.61 million).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
(From left) The Baxter boys, Dylan (Johnny simmons), Jordan (Graham Phiullips) and Ryan (Jimmy Bennett), say hey to a fellow crewmember in the movie 'Evan Almighty'. - Reuters photos
Top-10 box office movies>
1. Evan Almighty, US$32.1 million (€23.88 million).
2. 1408, US$20.175 million (€15.01 million).
3. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, US$20.15 million (€14.99 million).
4. Ocean's Thirteen, US$11.3 million (€8.41 million).
5. Knocked Up, US$10.6 million (€7.89 million).
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, US$7.2 million (€5.36 million).
7. Surf's Up, US$6.7 million (€4.98 million).
8. Shrek the Third, US$5.8 million (€4.32 million).
9. Nancy Drew, US$4.5 million (€3.35 million).
10. A Mighty Heart, US$4 million (€2.98 million).
