'Bee' sweetens its pot at No. 1

LOS ANGELES -- Jerry Seinfeld turned more honey into money as his animated comedy "Bee Movie" buzzed to the top of the box office in its second weekend.

The DreamWorks-Paramount flick, which had debuted at No. 2 behind Universal's "American Gangster" the previous weekend, packed in family crowds to pull in $26 million, raising its total to $72.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"American Gangster," starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, was a strong No. 2 with $24.3 million in sales, lifting its total to $80.7 million.

"We don't often see a movie start out in the No. 2 position then move up to No. 1," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "It just shows how strong the word-of-mouth is on this movie and that families are really enjoying it."

Adult audiences had put "American Gangster" ahead on Friday, but weekend matinee crowds lifted "Bee Movie" to the top spot. "Bee Movie" is positioned well for Thanksgiving next week, when children will be out of school.

"This is terrific playing time for this movie," said Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks.

Two of Hollywood's biggest cultural icons -- Santa Claus and Tom Cruise -- had to settle for also-ran debuts.

The Warner Bros. family comedy "Fred Claus," with Vince Vaughn as the black-sheep brother of Santa (Paul Giamatti), opened at No. 3 with $19.2 million, on par with last November's $19.5 million debut of Tim Allen's holiday tale "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause."

Cruise's "Lions for Lambs," co-starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in a drama interlocking three stories in the war on terror, premiered at No. 4 with $6.7 million. The movie directed by Redford was the first release by the rejuvenated MGM banner United Artists since Cruise and producing partner Paula Wagner took it over last year.

Costing a modest $35 million to produce, "Lions for Lambs" was aimed at an older, thinking-person's audience compared to the crowds that turn out for Cruise's action movies. Just over two-thirds of the audience was 35 or older, according to MGM.

1. "Bee Movie," $26 million

2. "American Gangster," $24.3 million

3. "Fred Claus," $19.2 million

4. "Lions for Lambs," $6.7 million

5. "Dan in Real Life," $5.9 million

6. "Saw IV," $5 million

7. "The Game Plan," $2.4 million

8. "P2," $2.2 million

9. "30 Days of Night," $2.1 million

10. "Martian Child," $1.75 million