Saturday Update

Nicolas Cage's new action flick Ghost Rider exploded at the box office on Friday grossing an estimated $15.9M in its first day of release, including Thursday night midnight shows, to lead a powerful marketplace at the start of the Presidents' Day holiday weekend. The Sony release enjoyed a first-day gross that slightly edged the $15.6M opening day of Daredevil which was another big-budget super hero film from Marvel Comics and director Mark Steven Johnson opening over the same holiday session. The Ben Affleck pic bowed to $45M over four days. Factor in four years of ticket price increases and Ghost Rider certainly sold fewer tickets on opening day, but a powerful four-day weekend gross is still likely. For the Friday-to-Monday extended holiday span, Ghost Rider might find itself with $42-45M.

Opening in second place was Disney's Bridge to Terabithia with an estimated $6.3M on Friday, its first day of play. The fantasy drama bested the $5M first-day take of the studio's Eight Below from a year ago which went on to collect $25M over the four-day frame. Bridge should do better and take in $28-31M over the long weekend.

Warner Bros. collected an estimated $4.1M for its new romantic comedy Music and Lyrics. The Hugh Grant-Drew Barrymore starrer should gross $13-16M over the holiday session giving it a six-day total of $19-22M. Lionsgate saw its competing date flick Daddy's Little Girls collect an estimated $3M on Friday, its third day in theaters. Tyler Perry's latest comedy looks to take in $10-12M over the Friday-to-Monday period and $16-18M in six days.

The weekend's fifth new release was Universal's FBI thriller Breach with an estimated $3M as well. The Ryan Phillippe-Chris Cooper pic could find its way to $9-11M over four days.

Among holdovers, Friday-to-Friday declines were 57% for Norbit, 67% for Hannibal Rising, and 48% for Because I Said So.

The top ten films grossed an estimated $41.8M on Friday surging 45% from a year ago when Date Movie and Eight Below opened to $6.7M and $5M respectively. The box office could soar to a new record for the Presidents' Day holiday weekend.

For a NEW review of Bridge to Terabithia visit The Chief Report.

Last Updated: February 17, 2007 at 1:45PM ET

Written by Gitesh Pandya