'The Bucket List' debuts with $19.5m as old guys beat Ice Cube, Jan 11-13

Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson peaked plenty of interest for their sentimental end-of-life dramedy The Bucket List despite plenty of poor reviews, topping the box office with an estimated $19.5 million. Averaging an impressive $6,712 in 2,911 theaters, the PG-13 pic was one of four films Warner Bros. landed in the top ten.

It was the fourth highest opening of Nicholson's career, and seventh highest for Freeman. Budgeted at $45 million, the studio pushed the film's two Academy Award winners almost at the expense of the film itself, which was probably a good thing. Critics were largely unimpressed with the overly sentimental script, but without a prominent new release hogging the marquees this weekend, The Bucket List pulled in enough people not watching the NFL Playoffs to edge out a surprisingly strong debut from Ice Cube's First Sunday.

Debuting very strong in second with an estimated $19 million was Ice Cube's latest comedy First Sunday, which finished just $500,000 behind Bucket List despite playing in 698 fewer theaters. Averaging a top ten best $8,586, the critically-immune PG-13 pic about two criminals trying to rob a neighborhood church provided Ice Cube with the third biggest opening of his career, behind both Barbershop pics. Budgeted at just $20 million, the Sony Screen Gems release should net a very nice profit theatrically.

Fox Searchlight's indie sleeper hit Juno slipped just 12% to an estimated $14 million in third, thanks to solid word of mouth and an additional 523 theaters in its release slate. Averaging $5,719, the $10 million budgeted pic has now amassed $71.3 million, and seems a sure bet to break $100 million domestically. The film is already poised to surpass the $71.5 million gross of 2004's Sideways as the highest grossing film ever for the studio.

The late holiday season's juggernaut release National Treasure: Book of Secrets slipped to No. 4 this weekend with $11.5 million, bringing its cume to a massive $187.3 million. Budgeted at $130 million, the Buena Vista release is now the highest grossing film of Nicolas Cage's career, surpassing 2004's National Treasure with $173 million. Worldwide, the film has amassed $289.3 million.

Two more of the season's big hits finished just behind, with Fox's Alvin and the Chipmunks pulling in $9.1 million bringing its cume to $187.7 million, while Will Smith's blockbuster I Am Legend took in $8.1 million bringing the Warner Bros. release to $240.2 million domestically.

Debuting outside of the top ten was the laughably bad Jason Statham adventure pic In the Name of the King, which opened to just $3.3 million. Adapted from a video game, the PG-13 release from Freestyle Releasing averaged just $2,002 in 1,631 theaters, and featured perhaps the worst trailer I've seen in years.

In limited release, Paramount Vantage/Miramax's There Will Be Blood took in an estimated $1.9 million in 129 theaters for a powerful $15,039 average. Directed by Paul T. Anderson and starring Golden Globe winner Daniel Day-Lewis, the dark drama will expand to roughly 400 theaters this Friday.

Thanks to two strong debuts the top ten films grossed $101.1 million, up a healthy 12% from last year's comparable frame when Stomp the Yard topped with $21.8 million.

Coming this week: How the potential cancellation of the Oscars in February could affect the box office