Ghost Rider is No. 1 for Long Weekend

Ghost Rider, starring Nicholas Cage, topped the box office this past weekend, raking in $44.5 million.

The comic book adaptation about the devil's bounty hunter riding on a motorcycle is Cage's best opening of his career. The closest he came to Ghost Rider's success is 2004's National Treasure, which opened with $35 million.

Critics were hard on his performance. The New York Post deemed the film "stillborn" while Variety said Cage's role was "stunningly bland." But this is not expected to break sales. With the four day President's Day weekend, the film is expected to take in $51 million.

Disney's Bridge to Terabithia brought in $22 million, putting it at No. 2 and last weekend's winner, Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy, slipped to No. 3 with $16.9 million.

Even though Ghost Rider's President's Day opening was stunning, Adam Sandler's 50 First Dates, opened with $45.1 million in 2004.