‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ powers to top in N. America

Actress Milla Jovovich (L) and Paul W. S. Anderson attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of Screen Gems’ “Resident Evil: Retribution” at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live on September 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES — Sci-fi action-thriller “Resident Evil: Retribution” topped the North American weekend box office, holding off the 3D version of “Finding Nemo,” final figures showed Monday.

Both films were making their debut but the former, starring Milla Jovovich, took $21.1 million in receipts, ahead of animated feature “Finding Nemo,” which earned $16.7 million, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Last week’s number one, “The Possession,” a supernatural thriller starring Kyra Sedgwick, was knocked into third, well off the pace with just $5.8 million in weekend receipts.

Depression-era gangster tale “Lawless” fell from second place last week to fourth earning $4.3 million.

Action romp “The Expendables 2,” starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, continued its drop, finishing fifth on $3.14 million.

“ParaNorman,” an animated movie about a boy who can speak to the dead, moved down to the sixth spot, earning $3.09 million.

“The Words,” a literary drama about an author who earns fame by stealing another writer’s work, was in seventh place, with $2.86 million in sales, just ahead of thriller “The Bourne Legacy” which earned $2.85 million.

In ninth place, quirky fantasy-comedy “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” brought in $2.6 million.

And rounding out the top 10 was political spoof “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, which took in $2.4 million.