TOP 10: The Cat With the Cash in His Hat

A feline Mike Myers captures top spot in this week's box office derby

By Patrick Sauriol     November 23, 2003

To no one's surprise, Universal's DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT captured the number one spot in this weekend's box office, earning an estimated $40 million in its first three days of release. What is surprising is that the Mike Myers-led picture didn't earn more dollars on its opening weekend as DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS did three years ago (that picture took in $15 M more than CAT on its opening weekend.)

Still, CAT's earnings were more than double what GOTHIKA captured from audiences. With a healthy $19 M opening weekend for this mid-sized budgeted horror/thriller, Warner Bros. suits won't be disappointed.

ELF continues to earn more money for New Line Cinema, taking in another $19 M this weekend and bringing its total to just a few million shy of the coveted $100 M mark. MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD had a strong second weekend, sailing high on good reviews no doubt while LOVE ACTUALLY climbed an extra spot on the chart to number five. THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS continues to plummet each week, down once again more than 50% from last weekend's ticket sales.

Next weekend there's going to be a ton of competiton as the true holiday season commences. Audiences stuffed with turkey will have a number of new films to choose from including THE HAUNTED MANSION, THE MISSING, BAD SANTA and TIMELINE.

Here are the estimated box office receipts of the top ten films from November 21 to November 23, their weekend gross and the film's total domestic gross to date:

1. DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT $40,100,000 $40,100,000
2. GOTHIKA $19,620,000 $19,620,000
3. ELF $19,125,000 $95,142,000
4. MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD $15,200,000 $47,265,000
5. LOVE ACTUALLY $9,100,000 $30,800,000
6. THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS $6,740,000 $125,091,000
7. BROTHER BEAR $5,500,000 $70,400,000
8. LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION $4,105,000 $14,781,000
9. SCARY MOVIE 3 $3,284,000 $106,618,000
10. RADIO $2,600,000 $47,061,000


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