Cruise First at Box Office with 'Last Samurai'

"The Last Samurai" earned a modest $24.4 million in its first three days since opening Dec. 5, according to studio estimates issued Sunday. It ranks as the worst opening for a Cruise wide release since "Eyes Wide Shut," which opened with $21.7 million in 1999. His previous film, "Minority Report," opened with $35.7 million last year.

"Considering what we faced on the East Coast, we're very, very pleased," said Dan Fellman, president of distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, which released "The Last Samurai."

He estimated the film could have made $29 million if not for the bad weather, which dumped more than a foot of snow, closed airports and left thousands without power.

Cruise stars as a U.S. Civil War veteran who becomes a Samurai warrior in 19th century Japan. The film, reportedly budgeted at about $140 million, was directed by Ed Zwick, whose credits include "Legends of the Fall" and "Glory." Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc .

The top 10 contained one other new release, "Honey," a hip-hop dance drama starring Jessica Alba, which opened at No. 2 with $14 million. The film was budgeted at about $18 million. It was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of Vivendi Universal SA .

Universal's "The Cat in the Hat" slid four places to No. 4 after two weeks at No. 1, with $7.3 million. Its total rose to $85.5 million.

In between, at No. 3, was Eddie Murphy's "The Haunted Mansion" with $9.5 million, followed by the hit comedy "Elf" with $8.1 million. Their respective totals rose to $46.1 million and $139.6 million.

"The Haunted Mansion" was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co . "Elf" was released by Time Warner's New Line Cinema.