Weekend Estimates: Ghost Rider Has Record Opening

February 18, 2007

Ghost Rider made a fiery box office debut this weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. Its $44.5 million opening makes it the new record holder for the best President's Day opening weekend, and if the estimate holds, it will record the 3rd-best February weekend (see Best February weekends). The opening was considerably ahead of most predictions, and the weekend as a whole looks very healthy.

Second place was taken by The Bridge to Terabithia, with an estimated $22.075 million Friday-Sunday, and most likely a very good performance to come on Monday. That will be a happy outcome for Buena Vista, who took a gamble by advertising Terabithia as a kind of Chronicles of Narnia-lite. So far, the bet seems to have paid off.

The three other wide openers all performed creditably, led by Music and Lyrics with $14 million. Last week's returning movies, Norbit and Hannibal Rising both had poor performances, however, considering the holiday weekend, and fell by over 50%.

- Weekend Estimates

Bruce Nash (

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Ghost Rider, Norbit, Bridge to Terabithia, Music and Lyrics, Hannibal Rising