Box Office Report: Dec. 8-10

Managing to overcome little PR problems like drunk driving mixed with anti-Semitic comments and a resulting stint in alcohol rehab, Mel Gibson and Disney had to be breathing a sigh of relief when “Apocalypto” topped the box office chart over the weekend. Evidently, moviegoers are a forgiving lot when it comes to Gibson, as the film pulled in $15 million, exceeding expectations from Hollywood prognosticators.

Still, the movie’s debut was a far cry from the more than $80 million Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” took in its opening weekend. But it did manage to fend off what looked like some stiff competition, as “The Holiday” and “Blood Diamond” both debuted to disappointing results, taking in $12.8 million and 8.6 million, respectively.

1. “Apocalypto”
(Weekend domestic gross - $15.0 million)
(Worldwide gross - $15.0 million)
(Budget - $40 million)
2. “Happy Feet”
(Weekend domestic gross - $12.9 million)
(Worldwide gross - $179.9 million)
(Budget - $100 million)
3. “The Holiday”
(Weekend domestic gross - $12.8 million)
(Worldwide gross - $23.9 million)
(Budget - $85 million)
4. “Casino Royale”
(Weekend domestic gross - $8.9 million)
(Worldwide gross - $11.4 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
5. “Blood Diamond”
(Weekend domestic gross - $8.6 million)
(Worldwide gross - $8.6 million)
(Budget - $100 million)
6. “Deja Vu”
(Weekend domestic gross - $6.0 million)
(Worldwide gross - $65.1 million)
(Budget - $75 million)
7. “Unaccompanied Minors”
(Weekend domestic gross - $5.8 million)
(Worldwide gross - $6.3 million)
(Budget - $25 million)
8. “The Nativity Story”
(Weekend domestic gross - $5.7 million)
(Worldwide gross - $17.9 million)
(Budget - $35 million)
9. “Deck the Halls”
(Weekend domestic gross - $4.0 million)
(Worldwide gross - $33.8 million)
(Budget - N/A)
10. “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause”
(Weekend domestic gross - $3.3 million)
(Worldwide gross - $91.3 million)
(Budget - N/A)

2006 Year-To-Date
1. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”
(Worldwide gross - $1.065 billion)
(Budget - $225 million)
2. “The Da Vinci Code”
(Worldwide gross - $756.7 million)
(Budget - $125 million)
3. “Ice Age: The Meltdown”
(Worldwide gross - $647.2 million)
(Budget - $80 million)
4. “Cars”
(Worldwide gross - $461.8 million)
(Budget - $120 million)
5. “X-Men: The Last Stand”
(Worldwide gross - $458.8 million)
(Budget - $210 million)
6. “Mission: Impossible III”
(Worldwide gross - $396.2 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
7. “Superman Returns”
(Worldwide gross - $391.1 million)
(Budget - $260 million)
8. “Casino Royale”
(Worldwide gross - $376.2 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
9. “Over the Hedge”
(Worldwide gross - $331.2 million)
(Budget - N/A)
10. “The Devil Wears Prada”
(Worldwide gross - $311.7 million)
(Budget - $35 million)