Photo Courtesy of Dreamworks Pictures

Slowest movie weekend in five years

The critically panned thriller “Bangkok Dangerous,” starring Nicholas Cage, needed just $7.8 million to win top spot at the box office last weekend, the slowest movie weekend in five years, according to studio estimates. The total weekend box-office gross was expected to reach $66 million, slightly less than the $66.7 million for the same weekend in September 2003.

“We had no strong holdover from Labor Day weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media by Numbers.

“Bangkok Dangerous,” a remake of a 1999 Asian movie, performed within Lionsgate’s expectations, said Steve Rothenberg, the studio’s vice president of distribution. “We’re going to make a profit on it,” he said. “We lucked out. No one was going against it.”

“Tropic Thunder,” the comedy starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., with $7.5 million in its fourth week of release, and “The House Bunny” with $5.9 million, followed it. “The Dark Knight,” the Batman sequel, followed with $5.7 million, while “Traitor,” with Don Cheadle, was next with $4.7 million.

Frederic Nebinger / McClatchy Tribune

Bowling strike alleged

Utah authorities say a truck driven by actor Gary Coleman hit a man on his foot after the two argued in a bowling alley. Police Lt. Bill Wright says Coleman and Colt Rushton argued over pictures Rushton was taking inside the bowling alley in the town of Payson, 50 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Wright says Coleman was backing out of a parking spot after midnight Saturday when he hit Rushton. Police say it is unclear whether Coleman hit the man on purpose. Police didn’t issue any citations to either man. Rushton was treated for minor injuries.