'X-Men' capture ticket gold

LOS ANGELES -- The mutants of "X-Men" are stronger than ever, showing even more box office power than in their first outing.\nThe superhero sequel "X2: X-Men United" debuted with $85.85 million domestically, the fourth-best opening-weekend gross ever and a 58 percent increase over the $54.5 million first weekend of the original "X-Men" three years ago.\nOpening in second place was "The Lizzie McGuire Movie," starring Hilary Duff in a big-screen adaptation of her Disney Channel TV series about a young teen coping awkwardly with adolescence. With an audience of mostly young girls, the movie took in a healthy $17 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.\nReceipts for "X2" came in behind the record $114.8 million for "Spider-Man" over the same weekend last year. The first two "Harry Potter" movies had the second and third best openings, $90.3 million for "Sorcerer's Stone" and $88.4 million for "Chamber of Secrets."\nOverall, however, Hollywood revenues were down with the top 12 movies grossing $140.8 million, off 7.6 percent compared to the same weekend last year, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.\n"X2" drew about 14.3 million viewers, up 4.2 million from the opening weekend for "X-Men."\nThe studio also opened "X2" in a record 95 countries, with the movie taking in nearly $70 million overseas.\n"X2" reunites director Bryan Singer with his "X-Men" cast, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as mutants with superhuman abilities that include telepathy and shape-shifting.\nThe film's success continues a string of hits based on Marvel comic books, including "Spider-Man," "Daredevil" and "Blade II." Marvel's "The Hulk" opens next month.\nDancer Upstairs," opened solidly in 13 theaters with $105,300. The film, which expands to more theaters over the next three weekends, stars Javier Bardem as a Latin American policeman tracking a terrorist.