After the bleak dramatics of Prisoners won the weekend last week, America’s cinemagoers were clearly ready for some bright new animation to enjoy with the family instead. So Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 was in prime position to score well, and launched at the top spot with $35 million.
Prisoners held strongly, however, slipping only to second place and $11.3 million. Ron Howard’s Formula One drama Rush actually opened last week on limited release, but with a huge screen expansion it soared to third with $10.3 million. That put it ahead of the new rom-com **Baggage Claim **at fourth ($9.3 million) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, Don Jon, which arrived in fifth with $9 million. Given that JGL made it for $6 million, that’s not a bad start.
Insidious Chapter 2 fell to sixth place with $6.7 million, with** The Family** down to seventh and $3.6 million.** Instructions Not Included** was eighth with $3.3 million and We’re The Millers dropped to ninth, earning $2.8 million. In 10th place was Lee Daniels’ The Butler, which added $2.4 million for an impressive $110.2 million so far.
To see a talking strawberry defeat Hugh Jackman in the full chart listings, head to Box Office Mojo.