'Hitchhiker' trounces Ice Cube's 'XXX' (Mos Def > Ice Cube)

[Matrix Heart]

Mos Def plays intergalactic traveler Ford Prefect in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" thumbed its way to the top of the box office, debuting at $21.7 million to beat out the explosive "XXX" brand.

Ice Cube's action tale "XXX: State of the Union" opened a weak third with $13.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"XXX" came in behind the previous weekend's top movie, "The Interpreter," starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, which slipped to No. 2 with $14.2 million, lifting its 10-day total to $43.6 million.

Hollywood's pre-summer slump continued, with overall revenues down for the 10th-straight weekend. The top 12 movies grossed $84.8 million, off 10 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Mean Girls" and "Man on Fire" led the box office.

Adapted from the first of the late Douglas Adams' comically philosophical books about the nature of our big, old goofy universe, "Hitchhiker's Guide" follows the adventures of an ordinary Brit who catches a ride with aliens moments before Earth is destroyed to make way for an interstellar bypass.

Adams' books have been cult favorites for decades, but the movie's mix of cheeky humor, oddball ideas and singular visuals clearly hooked a mainstream audience. Reviews were mixed, some critics calling the movie a fitful gag reel that sapped the essence of Adams' witty prose and others finding it a refreshing dose of whimsy and irreverence.

"Obviously, the thought process of the public was, 'That looks interesting. I want to see it. It's fresh and looks different,"' said Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney, which released "Hitchhiker's Guide."

Critics soundly trashed the new "XXX" flick, but they also disliked Vin Diesel's original, which did more than three times the business over opening weekend than the follow-up.

What went wrong?

"I wish I could say," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for "XXX" studio Sony. "Certainly, we're disappointed, because it's a film we all believed in. We have Ice Cube, who is a big star, and I think he's one of those rare actors who really can do just about anything. So I really don't know."

Ice Cube, previously known for the R-rated "Friday" movies and the saucy "Barbershop" comedies, broadened into the family market with this year's hit "Are We There Yet?" But the absence of Diesel may have undermined the movie's appeal, while fans may not have bought into rapper Ice Cube as an action hero.

"Ice Cube doesn't seem like a sweethearted dad, either, but 'Are We There Yet?' did incredibly well," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "Maybe people just associated Vin Diesel more with that role than anybody thought."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/01/box.office.ap/index.html

[Sikotic™]

Mos Def is definitely the better actor.

That's sad because XXX got way more promotion than Hitchhiker.

[Javier]

Ice Cube should just stick with making Good Guy movies, whenever hes a bad ass character the movie pretty much tanks, except for Anaconda

[Fuck Your Existence]

Something the Lord Made
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386792

Mos Def is damn good in this movie,i recommend you watch this.

[eS El Duque]

Ice Cube should just stick with making Good Guy movies, whenever hes a bad ass character the movie pretty much tanks, except for Anaconda

Odd considering he's a 'gangsta' rapper huh lol

[Thirteen]

well i guess since no other rappers are up there, Mos Def and Ice Cube are the best rapper actors ever

[West Coast Veteran]

I watched both this weekend.

Hitchikers - 3/5

XXX - 1/5 (had to watch just cause i'm a cube fan...)

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Ice Cube should just stick with making Good Guy movies, whenever hes a bad ass character the movie pretty much tanks, except for Anaconda

"Boyz n the Hood"

[Ðøšïå]

has ne1 else heard the rumor that cube has been thinking bout making another and final friday movie where he goes back to his dads house and it iwll have the og cast plus day day. damn day day and smokey would be the shit.

[Fuck Your Existence]

has ne1 else heard the rumor that cube has been thinking bout making another and final friday movie where he goes back to his dads house and it iwll have the og cast plus day day. damn day day and smokey would be the shit.

hopefully thats true

[Eddie G.]

has ne1 else heard the rumor that cube has been thinking bout making another and final friday movie where he goes back to his dads house and it iwll have the og cast plus day day. damn day day and smokey would be the shit.

hopefully thats true

Seriously, what else is Chris Tucker doing?  He hasn't been in a non-Rush Hour movie since Money Talks, what else does he have to do, besides be in the Passion of the Christ 2

[Ðøšïå]

has ne1 else heard the rumor that cube has been thinking bout making another and final friday movie where he goes back to his dads house and it iwll have the og cast plus day day. damn day day and smokey would be the shit.

hopefully thats true

Seriously, what else is Chris Tucker doing?  He hasn't been in a non-Rush Hour movie since Money Talks, what else does he have to do, besides be in the Passion of the Christ 2

Comedian Chris Tucker Arrested
"Rush Hour" star briefly jailed after high-speed Georgia incident
APRIL 19--Comedian Chris Tucker was briefly jailed Sunday morning after Georgia cops pulled over his speeding 2005 Bentley when he did not immediately stop for them. Tucker, 33, spent about 30 minutes in the McDuffie County lockup before posting cash bond and being released. According to cops, the "Rush Hour" star, an Atlanta native, was doing 109 mph on Interstate 20 when pulled over by state troopers. He was arrested for reckless driving and fleeing to elude after he did not pull over right away. Tucker is pictured below in a mug shot snapped Sunday. If you're wondering about the orange schmatte that Tucker's wearing, all guests of the McDuffie jail--no matter how short the stay--are required to wear it for their booking photo.

guess hes been speeding.  i heard a rumor that they making rush hour 3 too. dunno if thats tru or not.

[Fuck Your Existence]

has ne1 else heard the rumor that cube has been thinking bout making another and final friday movie where he goes back to his dads house and it iwll have the og cast plus day day. damn day day and smokey would be the shit.

hopefully thats true

Seriously, what else is Chris Tucker doing?  He hasn't been in a non-Rush Hour movie since Money Talks, what else does he have to do, besides be in the Passion of the Christ 2

Comedian Chris Tucker Arrested
"Rush Hour" star briefly jailed after high-speed Georgia incident
APRIL 19--Comedian Chris Tucker was briefly jailed Sunday morning after Georgia cops pulled over his speeding 2005 Bentley when he did not immediately stop for them. Tucker, 33, spent about 30 minutes in the McDuffie County lockup before posting cash bond and being released. According to cops, the "Rush Hour" star, an Atlanta native, was doing 109 mph on Interstate 20 when pulled over by state troopers. He was arrested for reckless driving and fleeing to elude after he did not pull over right away. Tucker is pictured below in a mug shot snapped Sunday. If you're wondering about the orange schmatte that Tucker's wearing, all guests of the McDuffie jail--no matter how short the stay--are required to wear it for their booking photo.

guess hes been speeding.  i heard a rumor that they making rush hour 3 too. dunno if thats tru or not.

yeah i read that,his excuse was he was late for church lol

[Sikotic™]

Chris Tucker is an idiot. A series of bad career moves by that nigga. He wouldn't do the Fridays. Then he won't do any movie unless they pay him $20 million. Nobody is willing to pay him that much except for the Rush Hour people.

[Ðøšïå]

Chris Tucker is an idiot. A series of bad career moves by that nigga. He wouldn't do the Fridays. Then he won't do any movie unless they pay him $20 million. Nobody is willing to pay him that much except for the Rush Hour people.

idiot or not hes still funny as fuck and will have more money then any of us.