21drew another Blackjack, and LEATHERHEADS scored a field goal if not a touchdown. Meanwhile, audiences interested in visiting far off places in the comfort of their local cinema opted for a tropical island rather than ruined Mayan Temples: NIM’S ISLAND washed ashore in third place, while THE RUINS decayed in fifth place.

Jodi Foster and Gerard Butler arrive on NIM'S ISLAND

NIM’S ISLAND made its debut in 3,513 North American theatres, earning an estiamted $13.3-million. That was good enough for third place, just behind LEATHERHEADS in second.

THE RUINS opened in 2,812 theatres, where it entwined $7.84-million in ticket sales. Presumably, Paramount is doing some “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” over the decision to delay press screenings until late Thursday night; good reviews might have helped, and bad ones could hardly have made things any worse.

As for holdover sci-fi, fantasy, and/or horror titles in the Top Ten…

DR. SEUSS’S HORTON HEARS A WHO slipped form #2 to #4, with a $9.1-million weekend. That raised the four-week total to $131.06-million.

SUPERHERO MOVIE leaped faster than a speeding bullet from third to sixth place. The spoof earned $4.4-million in its sophomore session, for a disappointing two-week total of $16.88-million.

SHUTTER closed in ninght place, down from #6 the week before. The Japanese-American remake of a 2004 Thai horror film earned $2.86-million, raising its three-week total to $23.18-million. Hardly impressive, but THE RUINS will be lukcy to match it - which may reinforce Hollywood’s penchant for remaking Asain horror flicks on the cheap.

Finally, 10,000 B.C. devolved from #7 to #10. $2.77-million in ticket sales raised the five-week total to $89.32-million.

Read the complete Top Ten here.