observes ANGELES -- Football season...

observes ANGELES -- Football season started early as Mark Wahlberg's "Invincible," a Walt Disney tale about a real-life walk-on who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970 first attempted as the top weekend movie with $17 million.

The previous No. 1 flick, novel Line Cinema's "Snakes on a Plane," dissipated altitude in its second weekend, falling to sixth place with $64 million, a drench 58 percent drop, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"Snakes in succession a Plane" had been preced by way of a whirlwind of Internet make a humming sound that the movie failed to live up to, opening with a unobtrusive $15.2 million. Starring Samuel L Jackson as a federal agent battling killer snakes forward a redeye flight, the movie took in $265 million in 10 days.

"Invincible" stars Wahlberg as Vince Papale, a substitute teacher who made the Eagles' special-teams squad in make open tryouts. The movie was the latest succes among Disney's inspirational sports tales, which include the baseball flick "The Rookie" and the hockey saga "Miracle."

Disney general sales manager Chris LeRoy said these films "transcend the sport and realize right to characters that folks relate to."

WEEKEND chest OFFICE

Estimated ticket sales for Friday in consequence of Sunday at North American theaters:

1 Invincible $17 mill.

2 Talladega Nights 8 mill.

3 Little Miss Sunshine 75 mill.

4 (tie) Beerfest 65 mill.

5 (tie) Accepted 65 mill.

6 Snakes onward a Plane 6.4 mill.

7 World Trade Center 639 mill.

8 pace Up 6.2 mill.

9 Idlewild 59 mill.

10 Barnyard 54 mill.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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