Box Office

Presidents Day weekend box office can pretty much be summed up in two words: families, youth.

Three of the top five movies were family films.

Disney’s “Eight Below,” the story of sled dogs abandoned when researchers flee brutal weather in Antarctica, led the four-day weekend with an estimated $25 million and a crowd that was 56% families. Fox’s slapdash spoof “Date Movie” opened in second place with about $22.3 million and an audience that was 79% younger than 25 and 54% female.

Two other strong family titles, “The Pink Panther” and “Curious George,” posted $21-million and $15.3-million totals, respectively, for the four days. Rounding out the top five was the teens-defying-death sequel “Final Destination 3,” with an estimated $12.5 million through Monday.

Among movies in limited release, the Russian hit vampire thriller “Night Watch” opened in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York with a per-theater average of $36,724 in just three venues, Fox Searchlight reported.

Preliminary results (in millions) are based on studio projections.

R. Kinsey Lowe

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*--* 4-DAY MOVIE GROSS TOTAL

Eight Below $25.0 $25.0

Date Movie 22.3 22.3

The Pink Panther 21.0 46.7

Curious George 15.3 33.4

Final Destination 3 12.5 38.2

Firewall 10.3 28.6

Freedomland 7.0 7.0

Big Momma’s House 2 5.9 62.7

When a Stranger Calls 5.8 42.1

Nanny McPhee 5.1 39.3

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Source: Nielsen EDI Inc.