The Departed Infiltrates US Box Office Martin Scorsese wins the weekend

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(Free-Press-Release.com) October 10, 2006 -- As the universe rights itself after two distinctly average Ashton Kutcher movies won the weekend last time out, this week belongs to Martin Scorsese. He might not have an Oscar in his pocket, but he�s now enjoying his most successful opening weekend for 15 years.

Yes, The Departed has blasted into American cinemas and audiences have been lapping up the gritty tale of duelling moles in the mob and the Massachusetts police. With Jack Nicholson eating up the screen, the movie made $27 million in its first three days.

Opening in second, a fair way down in earnings � but boasting the advantage of a much slimmer budget was critically loathed prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. With $19 million in the bank from this weekend, it�s likely already creeping towards profit.

The top two are followed by last week�s winner, with animated comedy Open Season nabbing $16 million in its second weekend of release for a running total of $44 million. Fourth place finds the underperforming Employee Of The Month, though as another relatively cheap film � in this case a comedy � an $11 million opening isn�t too shabby.

Sinking to fifth place, holed by shoddy word of mouth is the Kevin Costner/Ashton Kutcher actioner The Guardian. It could only rescue $9 million from the box office waves this time out. Slotting into sixth place is Jackass Number Two, which is now at $62.6 million in total, healthily ahead of School For Scoundrels, dropping to seventh place. The Rock�s Gridiron Gang is at eighth, with a current total of $37 million as it slides towards the bottom of the charts.

At the bottom are Jet Li�s Fearless, which has scooped in $21.6 million and one of those seemingly invulnerable indies, The Illusionist, which spends its eighth week in the charts and brings its total earnings up to $34 million.

They say you can win or flop at the box office. What we�re saying is this: When you're facing the charts, what's the difference?

Source: http://search.msn.com

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