CAT IN THE HAT BESTS HAUNTED MANSION

Mike Myers’ The Cat in the Hat raked in $25.6 million Friday-to-Sunday, making it the top dog at the box office. Cat was followed closely by Eddie Murphy’s Haunted Mansion, which did $25.3 in the same period, its opening weekend. However, last weekend being a long weekend and all, Haunted Mansion brought in $35 million in the five-day total, and Cat did $34.1 million. So, who’s number one? Do you really care that much?

In third place was Elf, which is turning out to be the surprise hit of the season, as it held steady and did $22.2 million in the three-day period. That means the top three flicks all starred Saturday Night Live alums. Lorne Michaels must be so proud.

Three other movies opened on Wednesday. Billy Bob Thornton’s Bad Santa, which brought $12.5 million down the chimney and landed at #6. Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett’s The Missing found $11.7 million, good enough for #7. Archeology thriller Timeline did $8.5 million at #8.

Here’s the rest of the three-day Top 10: #4 Gothika ($12.71 million); #5 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World ($12.7 million) #9 Love Actually ($8.2 million); #10 Brother Bear ($4.9 million).