Zombies rule as 'Resident Evil' claims top spot

Story Highlights
"The R's have it this weekend," says president of Media by Numbers
"Resident Evil: Extinction," starring Milla Jovovich, is top debut for franchise
Brad Pitt's 'Assassination of Jesse James' opened strongly in limited release
Grittier, more intense films are typically released in the fall
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LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The undead of "Resident Evil" still have plenty of life in them.

"Good Luck Chuck," starring Jessica Alba and Dane Cook, warranted unfavorable reviews but opened at No. 2.

"Resident Evil: Extinction," with Milla Jovovich again fighting flesh-hungry zombies in the third installment based on the video game, opened as the No. 1 weekend flick with $24 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It was the best debut for the franchise, topping the $23 million debut of part two, 2004's "Resident Evil: Apocalypse."

Sony Screen Gems hinted there could be more "Resident Evil" movies, though the latest had been billed as the final one.

"Until the next," joked Rory Bruer, Sony's head of distribution. "It absolutely would not surprise me considering the success of the franchise that they find a way to come up with another. It's a real possibility."

Lionsgate's "Good Luck Chuck," with Jessica Alba and Dane Cook in a romantic comedy about a man jinxed at finding true love, debuted in second place with $14 million despite an almost universal thrashing by critics. Watch Mr. Moviephone discuss "Good Luck Chuck's" shortcomings »

Universal's "Sydney White," starring Amanda Bynes as a college freshman who teams with frat house dorks in a fight against campus snobs, premiered at No. 6 with $5.3 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP 10

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Resident Evil: Extinction," $24 million.
2. "Good Luck Chuck," $14 million.
3. "The Brave One," $7.4 million.
4. "3:10 to Yuma," $6.35 million.
5. "Eastern Promises," $5.7 million.
6. "Sydney White," $5.3 million.
7. "Mr. Woodcock," $5 million.
8. "Superbad," $3.1 million.
9. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $2.8 million.
10. "Dragon Wars," $2.5 million.

The previous weekend's top movie, the Warner Bros. drama "The Brave One," fell to No. 3 with $7.4 million, raising its total to $25.1 million.

Brad Pitt's "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" each opened strongly in limited release.

Penn went behind the camera for his fourth directing effort on "Into the Wild," which took in $206,596 at four theaters for a whopping average of $51,649 a cinema, compared with $8,487 in 2,828 theaters for "Resident Evil: Extinction."

"Into the Wild," released by Paramount Vantage, stars Emile Hirsch in the real-life story of Christopher McCandless, whose two-year odyssey of self-exploration across North America ended tragically in Alaska.

Pitt stars as the legendary outlaw in the Warner Bros. saga "Assassination of Jesse James," which took in $144,000 in five theaters, averaging $28,800. The film chronicles the last year of James' life as he lapses into paranoia over betrayal by cohorts, among them young admirer Ford, played by Casey Affleck.

"Into the Wild" expands to more theaters beginning Friday, and "Assassination of Jesse James" begins wider release October 5.

Focus Features' "Eastern Promises," with Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts in a drama set among Russian mobsters in London, expanded from a handful of theaters into nationwide release, coming in at No. 5 with $5.7 million.

The top five movies all had R ratings, unusual in a movie market generally dominated by PG-13 flicks.

"The Rs have it this weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "That makes sense in this fall season, when grittier, more intense films are released." E-mail to a friend