Lions Gate's latest horror film "Cabin Fever" opened with an estimated $8.5 million in ticket sales from 2,087 theaters to take the third highest grossing slot this weekend. The R-rated horror thriller continued to mine a genre that's been revived in recent weeks as it debuted at the high end of expectations, according to a spokesman for the distributor. "Cabin Fever" went after the business of United Artists' "Jeepers Creepers 2" and New Lines' "Freddy vs. Jason," which dropped by 54% and 60% this weekend, respectively.

This week's box office top ten:

1. Once Upon a Time in Mexico
2. Matchstick Men
3. Cabin Fever
4. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
6. Freaky Friday
7. Jeepers Creepers 2
8. Open Range
9. S.W.A.T
10. Seabiscuit

"Cabin Fever" tells the story of a group of college kids who go into the mountains for fun, have a run in with a flesh-eating virus, and may never make it home again.

Source: Hollywood Reporter [1], Official Cabin Fever Site [2]