|
 Smith, in his first leading role since 2013's "After Earth,"
plays a seasoned con artist who meets up with an aspiring con
artist, played by Margot Robbie, in the romance-caper film
hybrid.
"Kingsman: The Secret Service", an adaptation of a popular comic
series which stars Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Firth about a spy
agency's training program and a global threat by a tech genius,
also outpaced "Grey" to claim second place with $11.8 million.
Third place on a weekend that saw business hampered by rough
winter weather in the south and midwest again went to the
family-friendly "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water",
based on the popular television show about a talking animated
sponge. It sold $11.2 million in tickets.
"Grey," the smash hit adaptation of the best-selling novel which
stars James Dornan and Dakota Johnson as the libidinous couple,
took in $10.9 million, landing in fourth from Friday through
Sunday, according to studio estimates. The film is closing in on
$148 million at the domestic box office since opening just over
two weeks ago.
Rounding out the top five, "The Lazarus Effect," which stars
Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde as researchers trying to resurrect
the dead, took the No. 5 spot on its opening weekend with $10.6
million in sales.
"This was a rather slow weekend at the box office," said Paul
Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at box office tracking firm
Rentrak, noting that Oscar winners such as "Still Alice" and
"Birdman" had received a good boost from Sunday's awards.
[to top of second column] |
"The severely inclement weather in the south and midwest threw off
our number," said Jeff Goldstein, executive vice president of
domestic distribution for Warner Bros, the Time Warner unit that
released "Focus."
"When you look at the markets not hit by weather, we did really
well," Goldstein said, adding that the film had played especially
well with younger audiences, where "word of mouth will really help."
International box office would further boost the film's fortunes,
Goldstein said.
Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures released "Fifty Shades of Grey". "Kingsman:
The Secret Service" was released by 20th Century Fox, the unit of
21st Century Fox. "The SpongeBob Movie" was distributed by Paramount
Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Rosalind Russell)
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