Calling Animal Control

Snakes On A Plane de-throned 'Talladega Nights' as the top movie over the weekend--just barely. In fact, if it wasn't for those Thursday night screenings, the results would have been very different.

In his "Weekend Report" for Box Office Mojo Brandon Gray writes:

Scaling back from high expectations, 'Snakes on a Plane' nabbed an estimated $13.9 million Friday-to-Sunday ($15.3 million including Thursday night previews), as people didn't have to pay for the movie to chuckle at the title...

You can read Gray's full report here...

Meantime, in A slithery slope Ben Fritz of Variety says:

'Snakes' bite doesn't match the hype

Adding:

...Gross is well below predictions at New Line and among industry folk that the hype could translate into a bow somewhere in the 20 or perhaps even 30 millions.

Though "Snakes" was the big story going into the weekend, other pics mattered in their own right. "World Trade Center" and "Talladega Nights" held up nicely, while "Little Miss Sunshine" stayed strong as it started its move into wide release.

Finally, Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly, agrees After all the hoopla, "Snakes on a Plane" slithers in way below expectations...For more--read "Snakes" doesn't have much bite"

Hype? In Hollywood? Who would have thought...I still want to see this.