LOS ANGELES, Feb 11 — Leave it to Hollywood: A new movie starring a bunch of interlocking plastic bricks has snapped its way to the top of North American box offices this weekend, according to industry estimates yesterday.
Warner Bros’ The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, took in an estimated US$34.4 million (RM140 million) for the three-day period, easily beating out two other new releases, What Men Want and Cold Pursuit, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations reported.
This fourth Lego film had actually been expected to do considerably better. The original The Lego Movie, in 2014, earned US$69 million in its opening weekend. The latest instalment, says Hollywood Reporter, has “lost much of the original’s irresistible snap.”
The new edition again features the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks and Will Arnett — joined this time by Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph — in a story about love, chaos and revenge in a grim, post-apocalyptic toyland.
In second place was Paramount comedy What Men Want, at US$19 million. The film, a gender-switching remake of 2000’s What Women Want, stars Taraji P. Henson.
Third spot went to thriller Cold Pursuit at US$10.8 million. The film’s opening was overshadowed by controversy over racially fraught comments by lead actor Liam Neeson, and Lionsgate cancelled a red-carpet premiere, but Variety said the opening tracked with expectations.
The Upside from STX Films earned US$7.2 million in its fifth week out. The film stars Bryan Cranston as a wealthy quadriplegic who hires ex-convict Kevin Hart as his caretaker.
In fifth place was last week’s leading film, Glass from Universal, at US$6.4 million. The M. Night Shyamalan thriller, mostly set in a psychiatric ward, stars Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy.
Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:
The Prodigy (US$6 million)
Green Book (US$3.6 million)
Aquaman (US$3.3 million)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (US$3 million)
Miss Bala (US$2.7 million) — AFP
