Moviegoers still flocking to see 'Chicken Little'
LOS ANGELES — "Chicken Little" remained No. 1 in the pecking order, taking in $32 million in its second weekend to beat back a flock of new movies.
Debuting in second place was the sci-fi fantasy "Zathura: A Space Adventure," which grossed $14 million.
Jennifer Aniston's first post-"Friends" film — the thriller "Derailed," co-starring Clive Owen — opened in third with $12.8 million.
Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's semi-autobiographical drama "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" premiered at No. 4 with $12.5 million, though it played in fewer theaters than its competitors. The movie has grossed $18.2 million since opening Wednesday.
Also debuting in the top 10 was Keira Knightley's "Pride & Prejudice," a new take on Jane Austen's 19th century classic of romance and class conflict. The film came in at No. 10 with $2.8 million while playing in just 215 theaters.
With $80.8 million domestically in 10 days, the cartoon tale "Chicken Little" should soar past the $100 million mark by this coming weekend. That's good news for distributor Disney, whose recent animated slate has been lackluster.
"You can't crow about things if people aren't buying tickets to your movies," said Chuck Viane, Disney head of distribution. "This proves that our animation team, with their commitment and resilience, can deliver."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters.
1. "Chicken Little," $32 million.
2. "Zathura: A Space Adventure," $14 million.
3. "Derailed," $12.8 million.
4. "Get Rich or Die Tryin'", $12.5 million.
5. "Jarhead," $12.3 million.
6. "Saw II," $9.4 million.
7. "The Legend of Zorro," $6.6 million.
8. "Prime," $4 million.
9. "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story," $3.8 million.
10. "Pride & Prejudice," $2.8 million.
