‘X-Men’ gang towers over N. America holiday box office
This image released by 20th Century Fox shows Michael Fassbender in the film, “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” AP
LOS ANGELES – The superhero mutants from the blockbuster “X-Men” franchise fought their way to the top of North America’s box office over one of the biggest US film-going holidays, industry estimates showed Sunday.
“X-Men: Days of Future Past,” a time-bending movie already a hit with critics, debuted with an estimated $110 million including the Monday Memorial Day holiday, which is the unofficial kick-off of the summer movie season.
The star-studded cast includes Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender and Halle Berry.
Rounding out a mutant-monster weekend was “Godzilla,” featuring “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston as a tortured Japanese-speaking scientist battling to save humanity.
The film raked in $38.5 million including Memorial Day, according to tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Meanwhile, romantic comedy “Blended,” featuring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, opened over the weekend in third place, with $18 million including the holiday.
“Neighbors” starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as a couple living next door to a raucous fraternity house, earned a fourth-place ranking with slightly less than $17.8 million over the long weekend.
In fifth place was another comic-book favorite, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” which fell from third place last week, earning $10 million including Monday.
“Million Dollar Arm” which stars Jon Hamm and tells the true story of a Major League Baseball agent who goes to India to find the next big thing among cricket players, came in sixth place, pulling in $8.9 million with Memorial Day ticket sales.
Sliding to seventh was “The Other Woman,” a romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz, with $4.6 million over the four-day period.
Animated flick “Rio 2” fell one place to eighth, taking in $3.4 million including Monday.
The movie only barely overtook foodie flick “Chef,” the story of a fictional celebrity chef who decides to embark on a food-truck adventure, which estimates showed would bring in $2.9 million.
Rounding out the top ten was “Heaven Is for Real,” starring Greg Kinnear as the father of a four-year-old boy who wakes up from emergency surgery with a story about going to heaven and back, with estimated ticket sales falling around $2.6 million for the four-day period.
