Movie News

US still loving Stiller's Museum

Mon 08 Jan 1:30 PM

Americans still can't get enough of Ben Stiller as the actor's comedy Night At The Museum topped the US box office for the third week running.

The children's caper about a hapless museum caretaker trying to control prehistoric exhibits that come to life at night also stars Robin Williams and Ricky Gervais, and took $24m (£12.4m) over the weekend.

It's also good news for New York's Museum Of Natural History which has seen a huge increase in visitors since the film was launched.

In second place for the fourth week running was Will Smith's excellent underdog drama The Pursuit of Happyness, which netted $13m (£6.7m). Futuristic thriller Children of Men, starring Clive Owen and Julianne Moore, took the third spot, with takings of $10.3m (£5.3m) after expanding from limited release.

And the highest placed new entry was Hilary Swank drama Freedom Writers at No4, in which the Oscar-winner plays an idealistic teacher who uses unusual methods to inspire her inner city classroom. The film took $9.7m (£5.02m).

The top five was rounded out by the animated tale Happily N'Ever After, featuring the voices of Sarah Michelle Geller, Sigourney Weaver and Freddie Prinze Jnr which netted $6.8m.