Here are the best-selling movies of the week.
The Cat in the Hat came back to narrowly beat Eddie Murphy at the box office over a Thanksgiving weekend dominated by family flicks.
“Dr. Seuss’ the Cat in the Hat” earned $25.6 million from Friday to Sunday to finish as the No. 1 movie, a whisker ahead of Murphy’s spooky comedy “The Haunted Mansion.” The 10-day total for “The Cat in the Hat,” starring Mike Myers as the mischievous feline, hit $77 million. “The Haunted Mansion” earned $25.3 million, and has grossed $35 million since its debut Wednesday.
Will Ferrell’s “Elf” held up well with $22.2 million, lifting its four-week sum to $130.1 million. “Elf” became the 24th movie released in 2003 to top $100 million, tying last year’s record of 24 films over that mark.
The family films held off a rush of new movies for adults. Billy Bob Thornton’s “Bad Santa,” about a foul-mouthed boozer who poses as a mall Santa to rob department stores, debuted at No. 6 with $12.5 million from Friday to Sunday and $16.8 million since opening Wednesday.
Ron Howard’s Old West thriller “The Missing,” starring Cate Blanchett as a pioneer woman who enlists her estranged father (Tommy Lee Jones) to track her abducted daughter, premiered at No. 7 with an $11.7 million weekend and $16.5 million since its Wednesday debut.
Estimated ticket sales are in millions of dollars, for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters.
%% MOVIE TICKET SALES
Dr. Seuss’ the Cat in the Hat $25.6
The Haunted Mansion $25.3
Elf $22.2
Gothika $12.7
Master and Commander $12.7
Bad Santa $12.5
The Missing $11.7
Timeline $8.5
Love Actually $8.2
Brother Bear $4.9
%%
Estimated sales according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Source: AP
