'Focus' snatches US box office gold
Los Angeles, US: Sexy con-artist flick ‘Focus’ stole the top spot at North American box offices this weekend, vaulting over hit bondage film ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ industry estimates showed Sunday.
The fast-paced and glittering dark comedy full of deceptions stars Will Smith as crook Nicky who takes on protege Jess, played by Margot Robbie.
‘Focus’ got $19.1 million in sales, handily winning first place, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Holding steady at the second spot was British spy film ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service,’ starring Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Firth.
The comedy took in $11.8 million, just enough to hold off animated film ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,’ that held onto third place with an $11.2 million haul projected.
Erotic bondage tale ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ slipped out of its long-running spot on top of the box office ending a run that saw a record February opening.
The film starring Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele brought in $10.9 million in its third week for the fourth spot.
Horror film ‘The Lazarus Effect,’ about medical students who discover a way to bring people back to life, earned $10.6 million in its debut weekend to come in fifth.
Kevin Costner sport drama ‘McFarland, USA,’ about a student cross-country team from immigrant families took in $7.8 million in its second week for the sixth spot.
Controversial war-drama ‘American Sniper’ was projected had $7.7 million in box office sales for the seventh spot.
The Iraq war film directed by Clint Eastwood set box office records and has pulled in $331.1 million so far.
The film's portrayal of late Navy Seal Chris Kyle stirred up debate over its depictions of Arabs and Muslims.
‘The Duff,’ a teen comedy about high school cliques featuring Mae Whitman, slipped three spots to land in eighth with $7.2 million.
Critically-acclaimed drama ‘Still Alice,’ starring Julianne Moore as a linguistics professor diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, took in $2.7 million to land in ninth.
‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2,’ about a magical hot tub that sends its users into the future, sold the tenth most tickets, bringing in $2.4 million.