The movie follows Cage's character as he races to clear the name of an ancestor implicated in Abraham Lincoln's assassination, a trail that leads to a legendary city of gold.

Four-fifths of viewers for "Charlie Wilson's War" were 30 and older, an audience that does not necessarily rush out to catch films in the first few days. Universal is counting on the film's good reviews and word-of-mouth to gradually build the audience.

"Everyone knew going in this was a genre that doesn't pop big numbers on opening weekend," said Universal marketing and distribution executive Adam Fogelson. "We wanted to be the sophisticated commercial option for grown-ups."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Wednesday.

1. "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," $45.5 million.

2. "I Am Legend," $34.2 million.

3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks," $29 million.

4. "Charlie Wilson's War," $9.6 million.

5. "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," $9.35 million.

6. "P.S. I Love You," $6.5 million.

7. "Enchanted," $4.15 million.

8. "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story," $4.1 million.

9. "The Golden Compass," $4 million.

10. "Juno," $3.4 million.