"Rush Hour 3" hits No.1 in box office by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

Cop comedy "Rush Hour 3" made the top movie at the weekend box office, with people rushing in theatres all over. Last week's top film, "The Bourne Ultimatum" and its $33.7 million income, we're pushed in second place by New Line Cinema's new hit, and its $50.2 million. "We really never felt we were going to get where the second one was," said David Tuckerman, head of distribution for New Line. "The competitive landscape has changed dramatically in the six years since the last film. We figured we'd be in the 50's and that's where we are." Although the movie did not do as well as its predecessor, "Rush Hour 2", which took in $67.4 million, it was the sixth threequel of the summer to open as s weekend top film, and it ranks as August fourth best opening on record. Hollywood might be looking at the first ever $4 billion summer, with "The Bourne Ultimatum" crossing the $100 million mark in its second week in theaters. And with "The Simpsons Movie" coming in third with $11.1 million, for a three-week total of $152 million. Paul Dergarebedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers, stated: "We already stand at $3.6 billion at the box office. The $4 billion summer, once thought an impossibility, is definitely within reach". He also added: "We've been riding a wave of momentum that started with 'Transformers' in July". The other film opening this weekend, Paramount's "Stardust," a well-reviewed adult fairy tale starring Michelle Pfeiffer, didn't fare as well. It took in $9 million, good enough for fourth place behind "The Simpsons Movie," but not as much as might be expected for a film with a cast that included Robert DeNiro, Peter O'Toole and Claire Danes. The movie is expected to do better on international markets, and will be rolled out in Europe in October, hoping to cover the $70 million investment.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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