'Jumper' leaps on top of box office

Sci-fi adventure grosses $33.8 million thru Sun.

By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

Twentieth Century Fox and New Regency's sci-fi adventure "Jumper" easily leapt into the lead at the holiday box office, grossing an estimated $33.8 million from 3,428 theaters in its first four days through Sunday.

With Valentine's Day falling on the eve of President's Day weekend, studios turned the frame into a five-day holiday by bowing "Jumper" and the three other new wide releases--dance sequel "Step Up 2 the Streets," family fantasy "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and romance dramedy "Definitely, Maybe"--on Thursday.

Distribs will provide complete five-day numbers that include Monday estimates on Monday morning.

Directed by Doug Liman, "Jumper" is on track to score the fourth highest President's Day opening on the books.

Disney and Summit Entertainment's sequel "Step Up 2 the Streets" came in a surprise No. 2 through Sunday on the strength of younger females, grossing an estimated $26.3 million from 2,470 runs through Sunday, according to Rentrak. That's in line with the debut of original "Step Up."

Paramount and Nick Movies' family fantasy "The Spiderwick Chronicles" came in No.3 in its debut, grossing an estimated $21.4 million from 3,847 locations through Sunday.

Both "Jumper" and "Spiderwick," which cost $85 million and $90 million to produce, respectively, could turn into franchises.

"People obviously enjoyed it. When you have a successful movie, you want to built on it and have sequels," Fox senior VP of distribution Bert Livingston said. "I'm sure you think about that with every movie that's an original. This is an original."

Still, "Jumper" wasn't able to outperform 2007 President's Day box office leader "Ghost Rider," which grossed $45.4 million for the three days and roughly $51 million for the four days.

Over the weekend itself, "Step Up" and "Spiderwick" were in a relatively close race, or $19.7 million versus $19 million. But thanks to a Valentine's Day take of $6.6 million, "Step Up" will finish the holiday sesh ahead.

In its debut, Universal/Working Title's romancer "Definitely, Maybe"--which drew an older crowd-- couldn't beat holdover romance-adventure "Fool's Gold."

Warner Bros.' "Fool's Gold" came in No. 4, declining 39% to an estimated $13 million for the weekend proper from 3,125 locations for a cume of $42 million in the pic's first 10 days.

Toplining Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin, "Definitely" grossed an estimated $12.8 million from 2,204 locations in its first four days, putting it at No. 5. For the weekend itself, pic grossed an estimated $9.7 million.

U's Martin Lawrence starrer "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" placed No. 6 in its second frame, declining 45% to an estimated $8.9 million from 2,387 runs for the weekend proper. Pic has cumed $29.1 million in its first 10 days.

Fox Searchlight's specialty blockbuster and Oscar nom "Juno" declined just 17% to come in No. 7, grossing an estimated $4.6 million from 1,865 runs for a cume of $124 million.

Warner Bros. "The Bucket List" declined 22% to an estimated $4.1 million from 2,307 runs for a cume of $81 million.

Disney's 3-D concert pic "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" declined 68% to an estimated $3.3 million from 685 runs for a cume of $58.4 million.

Fox's romancer "27 Dresses" declined 41% for the weekend proper to an estimated $3.1 million from 1,936 runs for a cume of $69.9 million.