LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Easter holiday moviegoers returned Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" to the top spot at the North American box office after a three-week absence, while Walt Disney Co.'s costly new historical drama "The Alamo" was routed.
According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, "Passion" earned $17.1 million for the three days beginning on Friday, taking its seven-week haul to $354.9 million. Directed, produced and financed by Gibson, "Passion" was distributed by Newmarket Films, a unit of closely held Newmarket Capital Group, which expects it to reach $400 million.
Meanwhile Hollywood will remember "The Alamo," but probably not as Disney would like. The company's costly retelling of the siege opened at No. 3 with $9.2 million. Some industry observers had speculated last week that it would open at No. 1 with at least $15 million. Disney executives were not immediately available for comment. "The Alamo" features an ensemble cast headed by Billy Bob Thornton as famed frontiersman Davy Crockett.
Reportedly budgeted at about $100 million, "The Alamo" was tied with another new entry," Johnson Family Vacation," which cost about $12 million to make. The urban comedy, which stars Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa Williams, was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, the arthouse arm of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc . Since its Wednesday release, it has earned $11.6 million.
Last weekend's champion, the comic book adaptation "Hellboy," slipped to No. 2 with $11.1 million. Its 10-day haul rose to $41.1 million. The film was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp .
In a busy weekend for new releases, three other rookies scraped into the lower reaches of the top 10 with disappointing results. The hit man caper "The Whole Ten Yards" opened at No. 8 with $6.7 million, followed by the fairy-tale romance "Ella Enchanted" with $6.1 million, and the teen romantic comedy "The Girl Next Door" with $6.0 million.
"The Whole Ten Yards" was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc . "Ella Enchanted" was released by Disney's Miramax Films. "The Girl Next Door" was released by Fox Entertainment's Twentieth Century Fox.
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