MUMBAI: Blades of Glory, which tells the story of two rival ice skaters who pair up as the first ever male figure skating duo, took the box office lead by raking in $33 million in its first three days, which is more than half of the film’s $60 million budget, according to Sheeraz Hasan founder of www.Hollywood.tv.
The film, starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder, knocked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film from its first place spot, leaving it at fourth place while Disney’s Meet The Robinsons, which is about a nerdy orphan whose time machine lands him in a whacky futuristic world, took over the number two spot with $25.1 million in ticket sales.
After an unprecedented opening, 300 came in third place with another $11.2 million, bringing its worldwide sales to $300 million. Wild Hogs, the other Disney film, rounded out the top five by earning $8.4 million.
Although the monthly takings were up yet again, the North American box office was down 13 per cent from this weekend last year, when animated comedy Ice Age: The Adventure was the number one hit. But, according to Media By Numbers president Paul Dergarabedian, audiences were up by four per cent over last year.
Meanwhile, Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean’s Holiday topped the international box office in 21 out of 24 countries with estimated $33.3 million, which makes it the best-ever opening weekend for the British production company Working Title, beating out Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason in 2004, when it earned $26 million at its opening.
