Moviegoers continue to ride to 'The Final Destination'

'All About Steve' follows closely with $3.55 million

By ANTHONY D'ALESSANDRO

In the first day of the Labor Day frame, auds walked, instead of running, to the multiplex, putting Warner Bros./New Line’s "The Final Destination" and Fox’s Sandra Bullock-Bradley Cooper comedy "All About Steve" in a near dead heat for the top spot: $3.58 million to $3.55 million.

Moviegoers have shelled out $38.7 million for "Final Destination" in its first eight days, a figure that’s 35% ahead of the franchise’s highest grossing installment, "Final Destination 3" (Total B.O. $54.1 million) versus the same point in time. "Final Destination" fell 67% yesterday from its first Friday.

"All About Steve" is the second film this summer to feature headliners Bullock and Cooper, both who respectively hit career opening day highs at the B.O. back in June with "The Proposal" ($12.7 million) and "The Hangover" ($16.7 million). "All About Steve" played at 2,251 venues.

Lionsgate’s actioner "Gamer" scored third with $3.3 million from 2,502 locales. The film directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor posted a first day in sync with the duo’s 2006 Lionsgate Labor Day weekend release, "Crank" which also reeled in $3.3 million. "Crank" wound up minting a three-day weekend of $10.5 million and a four-day of $12.9 million.

Weinstein Co.’s "Inglourious Basterds" landed fourth in its third Friday with an estimated $3 million off 3,358, repping a 49% decline and a running domestic cume of $83.2 million.

Weinstein Co.’s reboot of "Halloween" in 2007 continues to reign with the highest opening day ever for a Labor Day release -- $10.9 million. However, the pic’s sequel in its second Friday dropped 78% on 3,088 for a day gross of $1.74 million in sixth place. Through eight days, "Halloween II’ has grossed $21.8 million. The Rob Zombie-helmed horror chapter followed behind Sony/TriStar’s "District 9," which notched fifth with $1.8 million off 3,139, a 41% dip with a total B.O. of $96.1 million.

Miramax’s Mike Judge-helmed laffer "Extract," the day’s third wide release, bowed in seventh with $1.34 million off 1,611.