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HITCH TOPS BOX OFFICE: Smith's romantic comedy reels in $45.3 million
The man they call Mr. July proves he can also do big box office in the lovey-dovey part of February. "Hitch," starring America's de facto summer blockbuster star Will Smith as a "Manhattan date doctor," pulled in $45.3 million over the Valentine's Day weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Smith's first-ever romantic comedy knocked the "Boogeyman" and its $10.8 million weekend take down to No. 2.
Sony Pictures had the weekend's top three movies with "Hitch," "Boogeyman" and "Are We There Yet?", which was No. 3 at $8.5 million. "Million Dollar Baby" took fourth place with $7.6 million, and the animated family tale "Pooh's Heffalump Movie" opened at No. 5 with $6 million.
"Hitch" is the fifth-straight No. 1 debut for Smith, following "Shark Tale," "I, Robot," "Bad Boys II" and "Men in Black II." Those movies all opened in the $46 million to $52 million range.
BERNIE MAC'S RARE DISEASE: Actor has had autoimmune condition since his 20s.
*Bernie Mac, the star of Fox's "The Bernie Mac Show," issued a statement through his publicist Thursday that he has sarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the body's tissues, most frequently in...