Cage, Carrey lead Oscar weekend box office

LOS ANGELES, Feb 26 (Reuters) Nicolas Cage led the North American box office for a second weekend, while Jim Carrey's first attempt at a psychological thriller opened at the lower end of expectations, and the films competing for Academy Awards fought for the scraps.

Cage's action-hero thriller ''Ghost Rider'' sold an estimated 19.7 million dollars worth of tickets in the three days beginning on Friday, distributor Columbia Pictures said. After 10 days, the 110 million dollar Marvel Comics adaptation has grossed a strong 78.7 million dollars, despite a critical pasting.

Carrey's first film in 14 months, ''The Number 23,'' was even more ridiculed by critics. But it still led the four new entrants in the top 10, opening at No. 2 with 15.1 million dollars.

The film's distributor, New Line Cinema, had hoped the movie would open in the 15 million dollars to 18 million dollars range, but predicted that the 30 million dollars film would be profitable.

The movie, directed by Joel Schumacher, stars Carrey as a man obsessed with the titular number. Virginia Madsen gets around, playing both Carrey's wife, and the wife of Billy Bob Thornton's character in the family drama ''The Astronaut Farmer,'' which opened at No. 9 with 4.5 million dollars.

Also new were the police spoof ''Reno 911! Miami'' at No. 4 with 10.4 million dollars, and the slavery saga ''Amazing Grace'' at No. 10 with 4.3 million dollars.

''Reno 911! Miami,'' based on a popular Comedy Central cable TV series ''Reno 911,'' also opened at the lower end of distributor 20th Century Fox's expectations. But, with a budget under 10 million dollars, it will be profitable, the studio said.

''The Astronaut Farmer'' stars Thornton as a small-town oddball who launches into space in a homemade rocket. Its modest opening was on target, said distributor Warner Bros.

Pictures. Two-thirds of the audience was over age 30, the studio added.

At No. 10, British director Michael Apted's ''Amazing Grace'' stars Ioan Gruffudd as 18th century antislavery pioneer William Wilberforce. It was released by closely held Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Reuters SHB DS1147