Bullock Takes ‘Sleeping’ To No. 1

Sandra Bullock’s rising star glowed over the opening weekend of her new film, “While You Were Sleeping,” which earned $9.3 million and snagged the No. 1 spot among the week’s box office leaders.

A gentle romantic comedy about a woman who thinks she loves one man only to discover her feelings for the man’s brother, “While You Were Sleeping” stopped the two-week run at No. 1 by the popular action feature, “Bad Boys.”

In addition, it outearned the highly hyped starring debut of ex-“NYPD Blue” star David Caruso in “Kiss of Death.”

“Bad Boys” fell to No. 2 with a $7 million take, while “Kiss of Death” earned $5.3 million to place third.

The week’s other two major openings fared a lot worse. “The Cure,” which involves two boys becoming friends despite one suffering from AIDS, ended up at No. 13 with a $1.026 million take.

And the Ivory-Merchant production “Jefferson in Paris,” which stars Nick Nolte as the third president of the United States, earned just $653,000 in limited release (351 locations) to place No. 17.

On the eve of the summer film season, some recent openings aren’t likely to last long. “Don Juan DeMarco” ($2.6 million, No. 7) has grossed just $13.7 million in three weeks. And “Muriel’s Weddings” has earned just $12.7 million in seven weeks.

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