BOX OFFICE

'Angels & Demons' Isn't a Dud

Tom Hanks’ latest has $48 million opening weekend.

Here are a few numbers that renowned symbologist Robert Langdon could easily interpret. Tom Hanks’ starring turn in Angels & Demons, the critically scorned follow-up to the wildly successful The Da Vinci Code took in a respectable $48 million this weekend, sidestepping studio fears that the film would be dead on arrival. Even better news for director Ron Howard is the $104.3 million the film took in overseas. Star Trek fared well during its second weekend, taking in $43 million, and the Wolverine-centered X-Men flick rounded out the box office. The air-conditioned enclaves remain recession-proof—the box office’s summer record is up seven percent over last year’s tally.