The Taking Of Pelham 123 couldn't manage a first or even second-place box office finish -- the John Travolta/Denzel Washington thriller stumbled to a $25 million, third-place showing in its opening weekend.

The film finished a distant third behind The Hangover ($33.4 million) and Up ($30.5).

Industry experts speculated that the lack of promotion from Travolta -- still recovering from the tragic death of son Jett earlier this year -- might have contributed the lack of buzz that led to the remake's mediocre opening.

• TAGS

• Box Office
• Denzel Washington
• John Travolta
• The Hangover
• The Taking of Pelham 123
• Up

Denzel Washington says his friend and co-star John Travolta is still trying to come to terms with the sudden death of his 16-year-old son Jett, who died in the Bahamas last January of a seizure.

Washington --appearing Thursday night on Late Night with David Letterman --said: "It's tough.. We talk.. I listen... He's struggling."

Washington was on Letterman to promote his new movie, a remake of the 1974 subway hijack thriller The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.  Travolta co-stars as a ruthless kidnapper.

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• David Letterman
• Denzel Washington
• John Travolta
• movies
• The Taking of Pelham 123

With the opening of The Taking of Pelham 123 just days away, John Travolta has taken to his personal website to thank his coworkers on the film for allowing him to pull out of the massive promotional campaign.

Typically in the weeks before an opening, Travolta would be traveling the country doing dozens of TV appearances, newspaper and magazine interviews, press junkets, personal appearances, and a red carpet premiere.

It’s a non-stop grind that’s a required part of opening a big budget film.

• TAGS

• Accidental Death
• Jett Travolta
• John Travolta
• Kelly Preston
• The Taking of Pelham 123