Los Angeles ? Jodie Foster beat Ashley Judd in a battle of female thrillers.

Foster’s “Panic Room” took in $18.5 million to remain the No. 1 film at the box office for the second-straight weekend, while Judd’s “High Crimes” debuted in second place with $15 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Among other new movies, the gross-out campus comedy “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” opened at No. 5 with $7.5 million.

The slapstick farce “Big Trouble,” about a suitcase containing a nuclear bomb that becomes a magnet for a gaggle of goofy characters, became a real bomb at theaters, taking in just $3.7 million for eighth place. The movie’s ensemble cast includes Tim Allen and Rene Russo.

Overall, it was another up weekend for Hollywood. The top 12 movies took in $95.7 million, a 17 percent increase over the same weekend a year ago.

“Panic Room,” starring Foster as a single mother fighting intruders in her Manhattan brownstone, pushed its 10-day total to $58.8 million.

“High Crimes” reunites “Kiss the Girls” co-stars Judd and Morgan Freeman. Judd plays an attorney menaced by a possible military cover-up when she defends her husband against charges of slaughtering civilians.

With similar audience appeal, “Panic Room” likely siphoned off potential movie-goers from “High Crimes.”

“Big Trouble” was among a handful of movies scheduled for release last fall but delayed because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Though it is a lighthearted comedy, “Big Trouble” has touchy scenes about lax airport security and a nuclear device aboard an airplane, images that prompted distributor Disney to temporarily shelve the film.

With $30.5 million since it was reissued last month, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” is close to passing “Star Wars: Episode I Â The Phantom Menace” on the all-time box-office list domestically. “E.T.” took in $3.3 million over the weekend to climb to $430.3 million, just $800,000 short of “Phantom Menace,” No. 3 on the all-time list behind “Titanic” ($600.8 million) and the original “Star Wars” ($461 million).

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.:

1. “Panic Room,” $18.5 million.

2. “High Crimes,” $15 million.

3. “Ice Age,” $14.3 million.

4. “The Rookie,” $11.7 million.

5. “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder,” $7.5 million.

6. “Clockstoppers,” $7.3 million.

7. “Blade II,” $7.2 million.

8. “Big Trouble,” $3.7 million.

9. “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” $3.3 million.

10. “A Beautiful Mind,” $2.8 million.