Split decision for ‘Cinderella’

“Cinderella Man” was down but not out in its opening round, as director Ron Howard’s Depression-era boxing story debuted in fourth place with an estimated $18.6 million.

On a weekend when the top three movies were holdovers with grosses in the mid-$20 millions, (“Madagascar,” “The Longest Yard” and “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith,” respectively) moviegoing overall remained in a slump.

The most interesting competition was between two films aimed at distinctly different audiences -- “Lords of Dogtown” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”

“Sisterhood” grossed an estimated $10.2 million from Friday through Sunday to take the No. 5 slot.

“It was girls’ day out,” said Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. president of distribution, who added that the audience for “Sisterhood” was 90% female.

*

Box Office

Preliminary results (in millions) based on studio projections.

*--* Movie 3-day gross Total Madagascar 28.7 101

The Longest Yard 26.1 95.8

Star Wars: Ep III Rev of the Sith 26 308.8

Cinderella Man 18.6 18.6

The Sisterhood Traveling Pants 10.2 14

Lords of Dogtown 5.7 5.7

Monster-in-Law 5.3 70.4

Crash 3.3 41

Kicking & Screaming 2.1 47.5 Unleashed 9 23.6

*--*

Source: Nielsen EDI Inc.