A horde of Monsters And Aliens descended upon theaters this weekend to the tune of $58.2 million in ticket sales (assisted in no small part by the higher ticket prices for 3D theaters), giving the Dreamworks 3-D animated family feature the biggest opening weekend of the year so far. That, combined with the impressive $23 million bow from PG-13 No. 2 horror flick The Haunting In Connecticut, propelled the box office to its biggest non-holiday weekend of the year.
Last week’s top four films retained their order from last week, bumped down two spots. Knowing had a solid second week, dropping 40 percent to No. 3 with $14.7 million, and I Love You Man had the smallest drop in the top 10 with 29 percent, landing at No. 4 with $12.6 million. Duplicity placed fifth with $7.56 million, ahead of Race To Witch Mountain at No. 6 with $5.64 million.
WWE star John Cena’s 12 Rounds made a more modest debut at No. 7 with $5.3 million, while Watchmen continued its rapid decline, falling around 60 percent for the third weekend in a row. At this rate, its fourth-week No. 8 showing with $2.78 million could be its last appearance in the top 10. On the other end of the longevity spectrum, Taken marked an impressive ninth week in the top 10, landing at No. 9 with $2.7 million, ahead of The Last House On The Left’s $2.6 million third-weekend haul.
More detailed box-office numbers can be found at boxofficemojo.com.