Simpson: Big bang opening

Los Angeles, Aug. 8 (Agencies): The Dukes of Hazzard, directed by Indian American Jayant Jambulingam Chandrasekhar, raced to the top in its first weekend of release in North America.

The big-screen adaptation of the 1980s TV show about two good ’ol boys, their Dodge Charger and a buxom cousin, sold an estimated $30.6 million worth of tickets in its first three days, distributor Warner Bros said. Dukes, which cost $53 million to make, opened at the upper end of forecasts. The studio’s distribution president, Dan Fellman, said he would have been happy with a $25-million opening.

Last weekend’s champion, Wedding Crashers, slipped to No. 2 with $16.5 million, followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, another Chandrasekhar film, with $10.6 million, both in their third weekends.

Dukes of Hazzard stars Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville ? hardly marquee names ? alongside tabloid staple Jessica Simpson, a middling pop singer noted for conveying a ditzy image in a reality TV show.

Warner Bros said about two-thirds of the audience was under 25, indicating that older moviegoers who grew up with the show were not strongly inclined to revisit Hazzard County.