‘Phone Booth’ rings in at No. 1

While comedies have ruled the box office for the last month, this weekend a thriller about a sniper won out, with 20th Century Fox’s “Phone Booth” coming in at No. 1 with an estimated $15 million.

But box office has not rebounded from its weeks-long slump with the top 10 films down 3% from last weekend and 11% from the same weekend last year, according to Nielsen EDI Inc., a box-office tracking firm.

“We are not in a great period at the moment,” said Dan Marks, president of Nielsen EDI, noting that at this time last year Jodie Foster’s “Panic Room” (also from Fox) was in its second week of release and grossed $18 million over the weekend. “We don’t have a spectacular group of pictures.”

“Phone Booth,” directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Colin Farrell as a man trapped in a phone booth targeted by a sniper, was originally scheduled for release last October. But because of the real-life snipers that terrorized the Washington, D.C., area last fall, the studio postponed its release.

The thriller did well with people of all ages, with 55% of its audience under 25, according to Fox. The audience was evenly split among females and males.

At No. 2 was Warner Bros.’ teen comedy “What a Girl Wants,” which grossed an estimated $12.1 million. Real-life events even affected this film geared toward young girls. Wanting to avoid misinterpretation in its advertising, Warner Bros. removed from print ads the gesture of a peace sign by the film’s star, Amanda Bynes.

Vin Diesel’s revenge thriller, “A Man Apart,” opened in third place, grossing an estimated $11.2 million. That film was completed in 2001, but New Line Cinema kept it on the shelf for nearly two years.

Among movies opening in limited release, Fox Searchlight’s “The Good Thief” with Nick Nolte took in an estimated $137,626 on nine screens for a healthy average of $15,292.

Sony Pictures Classics’ “Levity,” with Billy Bob Thornton, grossed just under $33,000 in 10 locations.

Unspooling in 602 theaters, Miramax’s Eddie Griffin concert-documentary “DysFunK- tional Family” tallied a modest $1.1 million, or $1,827 per screen.

At No. 4, the leader among returning films was DreamWorks’ comedy “Head of State,” which grossed an estimated $8.8 million, down 35% from its opening last weekend.

The movie, starring Chris Rock, has grossed $25.3 million so far.

Another comedy, “Bringing Down the House,” came in at No. 5 with $8.5 million, bringing its five-weekend total to roughly $111 million.

All figures are estimates. Actual tallies will be released today.

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Box Office

Preliminary results based on studio projections.

*--* Movie 3-day gross Total (millions) Phone Booth $15 $15

What a Girl Wants 12.1 12.1

A Man Apart 11.2 11.2

Head of State 8.8 25.3

Bringing Down the House 8.5 111.3

The Core 6.3 20.9

Basic 5.4 20

Chicago 5.3 152.2

Agent Cody Banks 3.7 40

Piglet’s Big Movie 3 16.9 Source: Nielsen EDI Inc Los Angeles Times

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