While Aardman Animation studios in Bristol, England, was tragically engulfed in flames today, destroying its “entire history,” its latest stop motion feature, WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT debuted at the top of the U.S. box office for the weekend ended Oct. 9, 2005. The DreamWorks release (with vfx from MPC) posted $16M.

Buena Vista’s FLIGHTPLAN (with vfx Lola Visual Effects and Peerless Camera Co.) slipped to second place with $10.7M and a cume of $60.9M. Debuting in third place was Fox’s romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz, IN HER SHOES. Following in fourth was Universal’s Al Pacino gambling drama, TWO FOR THE MONEY, which rolled $8.7M in its debut. Screen Gems’ THE GOSPEL opened in the fifth spot with $7.5M. TIM BURTON’S CORPSE BRIDE (with vfx from MPC) slipped to sixth place with $6.5M and a four-week cume of $42.1M. Lions Gate’s WAITING bowed in the seventh spot with $6M. Universal’s SERENITY (with vfx from Zoic and Rhythm + Hues, among others) plunged to eighth place in its second week with $5.3M and a cume of $18M. New Line’s A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (with vfx from Mr. X Inc.) dropped to ninth with $5M and a cume of $16.6M. Rounding out the top 10 was Sony’s INTO THE BLUE (with vfx from Luma Pictures, Flash Film Works, LOOK! Effects, Pacific Title Digital and Spectrum Effects), which posted $4.8M and $13.9M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.