The Messengers is the weekend’s top film with a projected $14,435,000 in 2522 theatres, $5700 a print. Because I Said So is #2 at 12,228,000 — 4800 a print. Epic Movie, off 60% from last weekend, is third with $7,483,000. Night at the Museum is #4 with 6,617,000. And Joe Carnahan‘s Smokin’ Aces is coolin’ off fast with a 56% drop from last weekend’s debut and a projected $6,369,000 by Sunday evening.

The sixth-place Dreamgirls is in 2700-odd theatres and pulling in only $1400 a print for a weekend tally of $4,084,000. (It’ll probably lose 800 to 1000 theatres next weekend.) Stomp the Yard is #7 with $3,991,000. Pan’s Labyrinth is eighth with $3,587,000. The Pursuit of Happyness is #9 with $3,014,000. Catch and Release is tenth with $2,798,000…down 62%. Forget it.

The Departed has been put it back into theatres and is doing some decent business — $2,700,000 in 1400 theatres. It’s the 11th-ranked film of the weekend.