'Bourne Ultimatum' chases down $70.2 million

"The Bourne Ultimatum"

Jason Bourne returns to America in his quest to discover his true identity, and North American moviegoers embraced his homecoming as "The Bourne Ultimatum" rushed to an estimated $70.2 million opening weekend.

Although Universal Pictures' propulsive chase movie dominated the frame, Buena Vista Pictures' "Underdog" found some favor with family audiences. But the weekend's other new wide arrivals, Paramount Pictures' comedy "Hot Rod" and Lionsgate's teen outing "Bratz: The Movie," received the cold shoulder.

The PG-13 "Ultimatum" -- with Paul Greengrass, who directed "The Bourne Supremacy" three years ago, again at the helm -- raced past the bows of 2002's "The Bourne Identity," which opened to $27.2 million, and 2004's "Supremacy," which arrived to $52.5 million.

Applauded by critics -- it earned a 94% approval rating at RottenTomatoes.com -- the film written by Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi and produced by Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley and Paul Sandberg earned an A from moviegoers according to CinemaScore as it racked up a per-theater average of $19,175.

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