LOS ANGELES, May 10 — “Avengers: Age of Ultron” iced out “Hot Pursuit” at the weekend box office, picking up US$77.2 million (RM277 million) and topping charts for a second consecutive time.

Disney and Marvel’s comic book adventure has made US$312.9 million domestically since debuting stateside ten days ago. That massive figure makes it the second fastest film to clear US$300 million domestically, and its sophomore weekend is the second biggest in movie history, surpassing “Avatar’s” US$75.6 million haul.

The film “Avengers: Age of Ultron” trails on both counts. Its predecessor, 2012’s “Marvel’s The Avengers”, which had earned US$373 million at a similar point in its run.

Internationally, the film picked up US$68 million, pushing the film to US$875.3 million globally. With major markets such as China and Japan still left to open and domestic audiences continuing to embrace the film, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” should have no trouble becoming the second 2015 release to clear $1 billion globally, behind “Furious 7.”

With Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, and the rest of the super team dominating ticket sales, Warner Bros’ “Hot Pursuit” landed with a thud, picking up a frosty US$13.3 million opening from 3,003 locations. The Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara retread of “The Heat” was crippled by withering reviews, with its debut falling short of projections that pegged an opening of US$18 million or higher. It’s also on the low-end of Witherspoon’s recent bows for more commercial fare such as “Water for Elephants” (US$16.8 million debut) and “This Means War” (US$17.4 million debut).

“Given our expectations it was a little lighter than we had hoped for,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. distribution executive vice president.

He argued the negative critical reaction took a toll.

“Where we did business, we way over-indexed in the South and in the small towns,” said Goldstein. “We were lighter in the East in review-driven markets.”

The film about an anal retentive cop (Witherspoon) trying to protect a drug boss’ widow (Vergara) was also backed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Pacific Standard. “Hot Pursuit” attracted an audience that was 62 per cent female and 82 per cent over the age of 25.

Beyond the modest debut number, a C+ CinemaScore means word-of-mouth will be of the cautionary variety. The budget was a relatively economical US$35 million, but the film will struggle to become profitable without a much warmer reception in foreign territories.

In third place, Lionsgate’s “The Age of Adeline” earned roughly US$5.6 million, dropping less than 20 per cent from its previous haul.

Universal’s “Furious 7” slid into fourth place with US$5.2 million pushing its domestic total to US$338.4 million after six weeks in theatres. Globally, the action sequel has earned US$1.5 billion.

Sony’s “Paul Blart Mall Cop 2” snagged fifth place with just under US$5.2 million, bringing its domestic total to US$58.1 million.

A24 continued to expand “Ex Machina,” moving it from 1,279 theatres to 2,004 locations where it earned US$3.5 million. The twisty sci-fi thriller has made US$15.7 million during its theatrical run.

Among art house releases, IFC Films released the Jack Black/James Marsden high school reunion comedy “The D Train” on 1,009 screens where it did a mediocre US$469,185. — Reuters