Neil LaBute’s Lakeview Terrace starring Samuel L. Jackson topped the weekend box office with an estimated take of $15.6 million.  With nearly 70% of its audience over 25 and a CinemaScore average of just C+, Lakeview’s is unlikely to repeat its top of the charts performance next week. Meanwhile, last week's winner, the Coen brothers’ Burn After Reading dipped just 41% in its second frame to take the number 2 spot with an estimated total of $11.3 million. Overall the box office was just down 5% from the same weekend last year.

Lionsgate’s comedy, My Best Friend’s Girl starring Dane Cook and Kate Hudson disappointed with an opening take of just $8.3 million, well behind Cook’s previous two vehicles, Good Luck Chuck ($13.7 million last year) and Employee of the Month ($11.4 million in 2006).

My Best Friend’s Girl’s per theater average ($3,187) was actually lower than that of the #4 film, the CGI animated comedy Igor ($3,425).  Igor performed well for an original property that wasn’t created by Pixar or Disney and received a strong “A-“ rating from audiences.  With little in the way of animated competition in the near future Igor could have clear sailing for the next few weeks.  An interesting “take” on the Frankenstein mythos, Igor has a chance for Nightmare Before Christmas-like cult status, though many feel Igor will do most of its damage on DVD.  IDW is publishing Igor-based comics (see “Joe Hill, Angel & Igor”) and Upper Deck is producing Igor Trading Cards (see “Igor Trading Cards”).

Meanwhile Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight earned another $3 million and finished at #9, its 10th straight weekend in the “Top Ten.”  The astronomical domestic total for the latest Batman film has now reached $521.9 million, which coupled with its overseas haul of $455.7 million, makes for a grand total of $977.6 million.