By Dean Goodman
Reuters
LOS ANGELES (March 4) - Moviegoers got their motors running and drove the all-star comedy "Wild Hogs" to the top spot at the weekend box office in North America.
According to studio estimates issued Sunday, the critically maligned Walt Disney Co. road movie sold $38 million worth of tickets in its first three days since opening March 2, leaving industry expectations in the dust.
Also new were the acclaimed serial-killer saga "Zodiac" at No. 2 with a modest $13 million, and the kinky southern drama "Black Snake Moan" at No. 8 with $4.0 million. After two weeks at No. 1, the Nicolas Cage comic-book adaptation "Ghost Rider" fell to No. 3 with $11.5 million.
"Wild Hogs" stars John Travolta , Tim Allen , William H. Macy and Martin Lawrence as middle-aged pals who head out on the highway looking for adventure and hiding from their personal crises. The male-menopause movie was a hellride for critics. The Los Angeles Times described it as "an endless cyclorama of rehashed jokes and whiny complaints," while the Washington Post said it was "born to be mild."
Disney said it had hoped the movie would open in the low- to mid-$20 million range. It credited the movie's success to a convergence of the stars' individual fan bases all looking for a relaxing laugh.
