Though their dedicated fans were expected to power fluff-doc One Direction: This Is Us to a crushing box office victory both here and across the pond this weekend, director Morgan Spurlock reckoned without the drawing power of Lee Daniel's The Butler, which, despite a scrap earlier in the Labor Day weekend, still managed to overcome, taking the top spot for the third week running. The White House-themed film added $20 million for a current running total of $79.2 million in the US.
This Is Us underperformed slightly in the States, particularly given the feverish anticipation for the film, but still managed to score second with $18 million. That put it ahead of We’re The Millers, which slipped to third in its fourth weekend and made $15.9 million, with Cars spin-off Planes at fourth and $10.6 million. Surprise new entry Instructions Not Included scored a fifth-place launch and $10 million in the bank.
Elysium jumped back up one place to sixth with $8.3 million, while The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones slid to seventh and $6.8 million. Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters fell to eighth with $6 million, while new Ethan Hawke/Selena Gomez car thriller Getaway hit a critical roadblock and found itself a write-off in ninth, earning just $5.5 million. In 10th, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine continued to impress, hauling in $5.3 million.
To see a man in a crisp suit smack a boy band around with a tea tray in the full chart listings, head to Box Office Mojo.