Box office report

Apparently, all those ads with the cuddly puppy really paid off for 20th Century Fox over the long Christma weekend.

The dog tale “Marley & Me,” which also starred Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, debuted at No. 1 at the box office with a weekend take of $37 million, according to the Associated Press. (It opened on Christmas Day and actually made $51.7 million when you take into the account the four-day holiday weekend.)

The holiday timing was ideal for “Marley & Me,” featuring an adorable but trouble-making puppy, 20th Century Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston told the AP. The movie is based on John Grogan’s best-selling book.

“It’s an all-audience picture, ages 8 to 80. That’s who’s coming,” Livingston told the AP. “This is a movie about life, love and family. It’s what people want to see now.”

Adam Sandler’s family-friendly Disney comedy “Bedtime Stories” came in second for the weekend with $28.1 million and $38.6 million since it debuted on Christmas.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” an expected awards contender starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, was close behind in the third spot, taking in $27 million for the weekend and $39 million since Christmas Day.  

MGM’s World War II drama ”Valkyrie,” starring Tom Cruise as a German officer involved in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, came in fourth with $21.5 million and $30 million since its Christmas opening.

The other new release for Christmas was Lionsgate’s comic-book flick “The Spirit,” which came in at No. 9 with $6.5 million over the weekend and $10.4 million since Christmas.