Bangkok bombs at box office

2008-09-08 12:06

Los Angeles - Less than a year after starring in the biggest movie of his volatile career, Nicolas Cage returned to the top of the North American box office on Sunday with one of his weakest.

Bangkok Dangerous, a thriller in which the 44-year-old actor plays a jaded assassin, led the lacklustre field with weekend earnings of just $7.8m, distributor Lionsgate said. Industry observers had expected an opening of more than $10m.

Cage has actually done a lot worse: his terrorism thriller Next opened to $7.1m in April 2007 and the family drama The Weather Man to $4.2m in 2005.

But he was last in theatres with the adventure sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which opened to $45m last year on its way to $220m.

The last No 1 movie to open lower at the North American box office was the David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, which kicked off with $6.7m in 2003, according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.

Dumping movies

Overall ticket sales usually tumble in September now that the summer blockbuster season is out of the way and school is back in session. The studios spend the early autumn quietly dumping their underperforming movies on the market.

Bangkok Dangerous was the only new wide release this weekend.

After three weeks at No 1, DreamWorks/Paramount's Hollywood satire Tropic Thunder slipped to No 2 with $7.5m, while Columbia Pictures' comedy The House Bunny rose one to No 3 with $5.9m in its third week. Their respective tallies stand at $97m and $37m.

- Reuters