By
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - "The Watcher," a thriller about a serial killer tracking an FBI agent, held onto its No.1 spot at the box office for the second week in a row as theaters recorded one of the lowest-grossing weekends in three years.
The film, starring Keanu Reeves, James Spader and Marisa Tomei, pulled in just $5.7 million, according to box office estimates yesterday, for the smallest take of any No. 1 film since Super Bowl weekend in January 1997, said Paul Dergarabedian of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., a box office tracking firm.
"This is now the eighth down weekend in a row versus the same weekend last year," he said. "This is a time(of year) when people are doing other things. Without a momentum keeping people's interest in moviegoing, you're going to have this slowdown."
The release of "Bait," a comedy starring Jamie Foxx as a thief used by the feds to track a master gold thief, came in second with $5.5 million, followed by "Bring It On," which pulled in $5.1 million in its fourth week.
Gwyneth Paltrow's turn as a karaoke singer in "Duets," the weekend's other new release, brought in $2 million on 581 screens for a per-screen average of $3,442, tying at ninth place with "Scary Movie" in its eleventh week.
The top 12 films this weekend grossed an estimated $38.1 million, while the top 12 films in this same weekend last year grossed $67.4 million. "Blue Streak," the top film in this weekend last year, grossed $19.2 million followed by "For Love of the Game" with $13 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.:
1. "The Watcher," $5.7 million.
2. "Bait," $5.5 million.
3. "Bring It On," $5.1 million.
4. "Nurse Betty," $4.7 million.
5. "What Lies Beneath," $2.6 million.
6. "Space Cowboys," $2.5 million.
7. "The Cell," $2.45 million.
8. "Almost Famous," $2.3 million.
9. "Duets," $2 million.
9. "Scary Movie," $2 million.
