‘Eagle Eye’ leads b.o. into busy weekend

D.J. Caruso’s “Eagle Eye” faces a tough competition at the box office this weekend, but for the past couple of days, the action thriller had no trouble defending the top spot, earning an extra $1.7 million Wednesday.

Starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, the film managed to lift its domestic gross to $35.3 million after one week in release. Following at No. 2 with $1.1 million was George C. Wolfe’s romance drama “Nights in Rodanthe,” which brought its total gross to $16.7 million.

Finishing in third place was Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Burn After Reading,” which jumped back up one spot with a Wednesday gross of $514,309. Its current cumulative gross stands at $47.1 million.

Slipping to No. 4 was Neil LaBute’s thriller “Lakeview Terrace,” which reached a total haul of $27.2 million after picking up $476,159.

At No. 5, Alex Kendrick’s Christian-themed marriage drama “Fireproof” took home $353,066 to lift its domestic total to $8 million after a strong one-week run.

With six wide releases opening Friday, it will get pretty crowded at the North American box office this weekend.  

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)

‘Eagle Eye’ still on top Monday

D.J. Caruso’s action hit “Eagle Eye” clung to the top of the box Monday with a strong $2 million in ticket sales, according to estimates released by BoxOfficeMojo.

The thriller starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan lifted its domestic total to $31.2 million. Following at No. 2 was George C. Wolfe’s  romance drama “Nights in Rodanthe,” which took home $979,550 and reached a total of $14.3 million.

Meanwhile, Neil LaBute’s Samuel L. Jackson vehicle “Lakeview Terrace” earned $488,979 in third place, bringing its cumulative gross to $26.1 million.

Finishing fourth Monday was Joel and Ethan Coen’s comedy “Burn After Reading,” which rose to a total gross of $46 million after pulling $471,328.

Following in fifth place was Alex Kendrick’s Christian-themed drama “Fireproof,” which reached a total of $7.2 million after Monday’s earnings of $410,000.

Box Office: 'Eagle Eye' lands easy victory

By Franck Tabouring
Weekend of September 26 – 28, 2008

D.J. Caruso’s action blockbuster “Eagle Eye” stormed to the top of the North American box office this weekend with $29.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

DreamWorks’ Shia LaBeouf vehicle easily knocked out its competition after opening in 3,510 theaters and securing the top spot early on Friday. Co-starring Michelle Monaghan, the flick centers on a slacker and a single mother who are framed as terrorists and forced to participate in a major political assassination.

Debuting in second place with $13.5 million was George C. Wolfe’s romance drama “Nights in Rodanthe.” Based on the acclaimed novel by Nicholas Sparks and starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, the movie follows two single parents who fall in love during a stormy weekend at an old beachside inn.  

Last weekend’s box office winner “Lakeview Terrace” dropped to No. 3, earning $7 million and lifting its cumulative gross to $25.7 million after two weeks in release. Directed by Neil LaBute, Sony’s thriller follows a racist cop (Samuel L. Jackson) who tries everything in his power to get his new neighbors to move out again.

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'Eagle Eye' easily leads Friday box office

D.J. Caruso's new action spectacle "Eagle Eye" topped the North American box office Friday with an estimated $9.8 million in ticket sales, according to numbers released by Box Office Mojo.

The Shia LaBeouf vehicle had the widest release this weekend, opening in 3,510 theaters. Also starring Michelle Monaghan and Billy Bob Thornton, the film will easily win the three-day box office race.

Following in second place with $4.8 million was George C. Wolfe's romance "Nights in Rodanthe," which is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel and stars Richard Gere and Diane Lane as two unhappy adults falling in love at a beachside inn. The film hit 2,700 theaters Friday.

And here is a small surprise: Alex Kendrick's Christian-themed drama "Fireproof" secured the third spot Friday, collecting $2.3 million at 839 locations.

Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna," however, only made it to No. 9 with an estimated $985,000. The weekend's other wide release, "Choke," finished 13th with only $460,000.

We'll see how all this plays out tomorrow when we received the weekend estimates. Stay tuned folks and check out "Eagle Eye" if you haven't had the chance yet.