Green Lantern, latest superhero to rule box office

Reynolds' Green Lantern debuted at No. 1 with US$52.7 million domestically, a fair but unremarkable opening stacked up against other comic-book adaptations. The movie added US$17 million in a handful of overseas markets where it has opened, including Great Britain and Russia.

Released by Warner Bros., Green Lantern brought up the rear among superhero movies to open so far this summer, behind the US$65.7 million debut of Thor and the US$55.1 million launch of X-Men: First Class.

The previous weekend's top flick, Paramount Pictures' sci-fi adventure Super 8, slipped to No. 2 with US$21.3 million. Its domestic total rose to US$72.8 million.

Jim Carrey's family comedy Mr Popper's Penguins had a frosty start as the 20th Century Fox release came in at No. 3 with US$18.2 million.

Overall business cooled for the second straight weekend. Hollywood revenues totalled US$149 million, down a steep 25 per cent from the same weekend last year, when Disney's Pixar Animation blockbuster Toy Story 3 debuted with US$110.3 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Receipts this summer season still are ahead of last year's, with revenue climbing to US$1.56 billion since the first weekend in May, up seven per cent from 2010's pace.

Another Pixar animated sequel, Cars 2, could steer Hollywood upward again this coming weekend.

"We're fine. We're still ahead of last summer, and Pixar is going to have a chance to get us back in the mix next weekend," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Trashed by critics

Adapted from the DC Comics series, Green Lantern stars Reynolds as a cocky test pilot who gains superpowers after he becomes the first human recruit of a galactic police force.

The movie was trashed by critics, and after a solid US$21.6 million haul on opening day Friday, Green Lantern trailed off sharply as revenues dropped 22 per cent Saturday. That's often a sign that a movie lacks staying power, since revenues for new releases typically rise on Saturday.

With school letting out for the summer, Warner Bros. executives hope the movie will draw teenagers in on the weekdays.

"The midweeks are going to tell the tale of the movie," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner. If Green Lantern does good business today, "then all bets are off and we're back in the game".

Likewise, 20th Century Fox is counting on good hold-over business for Mr Popper's Penguins, a children's book adaptation that stars Carrey as a neglectful dad who learns the value of family ties after he inherits half a dozen pesky penguins.

"It's a heartwarming PG comedy that everybody can go see," said Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston. "There's humour for adults in there, and it's got penguins. People love penguins."

In narrower release, Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts' teen romance The Art of Getting By flopped with a debut of just US$700,000.

Released by Fox Searchlight, The Art of Getting By played in 610 theatres and averaged a dismal US$1,148 a cinema.

That compared to a US$13,806 average in 3,816 theatres for Green Lantern and US$5,451 in 3,339 cinemas for Mr Popper's Penguins.

The Warner Bros. sequel The Hangover Part II pulled in US$9.6 million domestically and US$21.4 million overseas to raise its worldwide total to US$488 million. That topped the US$468 million global haul of 2009's The Hangover.

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides padded its lead as the biggest worldwide box-office draw released this year. The movie took in US$6.2 million domestically and US$25.9 million internationally to lift its total to US$952.2 million.

Here are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released today.

This week's top ten

1. Green Lantern, US$52.7 million (US$17 million international).

2. Super 8, US$21.3 million.

3. Mr Popper's Penguins, US$18.2 million.

4. X-Men: First Class, US$11.5 million.

5. The Hangover Part II, US$9.6 million (US$21.4 million int'l).

6. Kung Fu Panda 2, US$8.7 million (US$52.5 million).

7. Bridesmaids, US$7.5 million (US$7.3 million int'l).

8. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, US$6.2 million (US$25.9 million int'l).

9. Midnight in Paris, US$5.2 million.

10. Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer, US$2.2 million.