New Bond Film Dukes It Out With ‘Happy Feet'

LOS ANGELES — A dancing penguin and the world's deadliest spy have settled in for a long stay at the top of the box office.

The animated penguin tale "Happy Feet" was the no. 1 movie for the third straight weekend, posting ticket sales of $17 million, according to studio estimates yesterday.

Also for the third straight weekend, the James Bond adventure "Casino Royale" ran a close second, taking in $15.1 million.

"Happy Feet," from Warner Bros., raised its total domestic gross to $121 million. Sony's "Casino Royale" has climbed to $115.9 million.

Denzel Washington's thriller "Deja Vu" remained in third place for a second straight weekend, with $11 million, bringing the Disney release's total to $44.1 million.

A weak crop of newcomers were unable to bump off the holdovers. Despite the holiday season, movie-goers generally were not in the mood for New Line's "The Nativity Story," a tale of Christ's humble birth that debuted modestly with $8 million to come at no. 4.

Fox Atomic's "Turistas," a horror thriller about Americans stranded and terrorized in the Brazilian jungle, opened at no. 8 with $3.5 million.

MGM's campus comedy "National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj," which elevates sidekick Kal Penn to lead status in the absence of Ryan Reynolds, who starred in the original movie, flopped with just $2.3 million, coming in at no. 10.

In limited release, Morgan Freeman's "10 Items Or Less" opened weakly, taking in $40,150 in 15 theaters.