Box Office Report: July 27-29

With 18 years on the TV screen under its belt, “The Simpsons” made a smashing debut on the big screen, taking in $74 million over the weekend, destroying its competition in the process. Its studio, 20th Century Fox, has been aggressively marketing the film for months and is raking in the dough as “Simpsons” fans, both die-hard and casual, made their way to theaters.

The other major debuts, “No Reservations” and “I Know Who Killed Me” debuted in 5th and 9th place, respectively. The pathetic finish of the latter, starring Lindsey Lohan, had to be a real thorn in the side for Sony Pictures, which had the misfortune of having its star getting booked into jail and then taking another trip to rehab a mere week or so before the film’s debut in theaters. That’s probably not quite the PR campaign the studio was hoping for.

1. “The Simpsons Movie”
(Weekend domestic gross - $74.0 million)
(Worldwide gross - $74.0 million)
(Budget - $75 million)
2. “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”
(Weekend domestic gross - $19.1 million)
(Worldwide gross - $72.5 million)
(Budget - $85 million)
3. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
(Weekend domestic gross - $17.7 million)
(Worldwide gross - $698.9 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
4. “Hairspray”
(Weekend domestic gross - $15.9 million)
(Worldwide gross - $63.9 million)
(Budget - N/A)
5. “No Reservations”
(Weekend domestic gross - $11.7 million)
(Worldwide gross - $63.9 million)
(Budget - N/A)
6. “Transformers”
(Weekend domestic gross - $11.6 million)
(Worldwide gross - $535.7 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
7. “Ratatouille”
(Weekend domestic gross - $7.5 million)
(Worldwide gross - $217.4 million)
(Budget - N/A)
8. “Live Free or Die Hard”
(Weekend domestic gross - $5.6 million)
(Worldwide gross - $285.1 million)
(Budget - $110 million)
9. “I Know Who Killed Me”
(Weekend domestic gross - $3.5 million)
(Worldwide gross - $3.5 million)
(Budget - N/A)
10. “Who’s Your Caddy?”
(Weekend domestic gross - $2.8 million)
(Worldwide gross - $2.8 million)
(Budget - N/A)

2007 Year-To-Date
1. “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”
(Worldwide gross - $947.5 million)
(Budget - $300 million)
2. “Spider-Man 3”
(Worldwide gross - $889.0 million)
(Budget - $258 million)
3. “Shrek the Third”
(Worldwide gross - $718.6 million)
(Budget - $160 million)
4. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
(Worldwide gross - $698.9 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
5. “Transformers”
(Worldwide gross - $535.7 million)
(Budget - $150 million)
6. “300”
(Worldwide gross - $456.0 million)
(Budget - $65 million)
7. “Live Free or Die Hard”
(Worldwide gross - $285.1 million)
(Budget - $110 million)
8. “Ocean’s Thirteen”
(Worldwide gross - $275.2 million)
(Budget - N/A)
9. “Wild Hogs”
(Worldwide gross - $252.5 million)
(Budget - N/A)
10. “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”
(Worldwide gross - $238.0 million)
(Budget - $130 million)