by Bridget Byrne
Feb 16, 2003, 12:50 PM PT

Daredevil proved a marvel.

Debuting with an estimated $45 million, Ben Affleck's latest movie set a box-office record for a Presidents' Day holiday weekend.

Blind to the negativity of many reviews, audiences risked their dollars big time to watch Affleck impersonate a relatively obscure Marvel comic book hero--a visually challenged lawyer, who at night lathers up in red leather as a vigilante with super heightened senses.

The PG-13 Fox release, in which real life super hotties Jennifer Garner and Colin Farrell costar with J.Lo's honey, leapt in as the second best February opener ever. It's only surpassed by the $58 million gobbled up by the cannibal tale Hannibal in 2001. Thrust into 3,471 sites Daredevil averaged $12,974 per screen. Its total gross was almost double the $23.6 million of the previous Presidents' Day record holder, Denzel Washington's hostage drama John Q.

(However hot though it currently seems Daredevil, which cost a reported $80 million or so to produce, can't claim to be in the truly marvelous Spider Man league. That comic book adaptation, starring Tobey Maguire as another Marvel nerd turned superhero, snared an astounding $114.8 million when it debuted last May.)

The only other wide release was the G-rated Disney 'toon The Jungle Book 2, which swung into 2,808 sites. The tale of the once feral kid Mowgli (voiced by Haley Joel Osment) re-exploring his jungle roots, earned a fourth place $14.1 million from a $5,025 per screen average.

The Daredevil debut pushed last week's number one How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days down to second place. But the romantic comedy, teaming Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, had enough Valentine's Day appeal to only drop off 20 percent. It earned $20.7 million from a $7,085 per screen average to bring its current gross to $49.4 million.

Chicago continued to razzle-dazzle in third place, the only movie nominated for a Best Picture Oscar still playing in the top 10 line-up. Adding another 427 sites the Miramax musical gained 17 percent over last weekend, averaging $6,395 at 2,268 locations to tap up $14.5 million and push its current gross to $82.6 million.

Exhibitor Relations, the company that tallies the receipts, reports the top 12 movies grossed a combined $123.2 million, a gain of 21.25 percent over last weekend and 15.94 percent over this time last year.

Here are the weekend's official top 10:

1. Daredevil, $45 million
2. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, $20.7 million
3. Chicago, $14.5 million
4. The Jungle Book 2, $14.1 million
5. Shanghai Knights, $12.8 million
6. The Recruit, $7.3 million
7. Final Destination 2, $6.2 million
8. Kangaroo Jack, $5 million
9. Deliver Us From Eva, $4.4 million
10. About Schmidt, $3.9 million

(Originally published 2/16/03 at 12:50 p.m. PT.)