"Christmas Carol" off to slow start at box office

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - If it's the second weekend in November, it must be Christmas in Hollywood.

Walt Disney Co's high-tech adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" topped the North American box office on Sunday with lower-than-expected ticket sales of $31 million.

For moviegoers in the mood for darker material, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," opened at No. 13 after earning a hefty $1.8 million in just four cities. Lionsgate's acclaimed tale of a young, black, overweight, illiterate incest survivor will expand nationally on November 20.

Both movies overshadowed new releases featuring such big names as George Clooney and Cameron Diaz. Clooney's military comedy "The Men Who Stare At Goats" opened at No. 3 with a solid $13.3 million. "The Box," a thriller starring Diaz, opened at No. 6 with just $7.9 million. Also new was the alien-abduction thriller "The Fourth Kind" at No. 4 with $12.5 million.

Last weekend's champion, the Michael Jackson concert documentary "This is It" slipped to No. 2 with $14 million, taking its 12-day total to $57.9 million. The foreign total for the Columbia Pictures release rose to $128.6 million.

"A MARATHON RATHER THAN A DASH"

Industry pundits had forecast a three-day haul in the $35 million-$45 million range for "A Christmas Carol," a motion-capture animated fable featuring the likeness of Jim Carrey. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and received negative reviews from top critics.

But Disney said the opening hit its own target, and it expected the movie to enjoy some longevity once the Christmas spirit kicks in. This was the case with Zemeckis' 2004 holiday movie "The Polar Express," which totaled $180 million after a slow start.

"You know you're in for a marathon rather than a dash," said Chuck Viane, Disney's president of domestic theatrical distribution.