Given the strong start for pot smuggling comedy We’re The Millers across the pond, some were predicting that it might stay at the top of the box office. But Neill Blomkamp’s latest sci-fi thriller Elysium arrived just before the weekend and promptly leapt to the number one spot, earning $30.4 million, according to studio estimates. Millers still had a decent showing, earning $26.5 million in second place. That kept it ahead of DisneyToon's Cars spin-off Planes, which made $22.5 million in third. The Mouse House won’t worry though – a sequel to that one is already in the works.
Mythological sequel adventure Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters had to make do with fourth place, taking home $14.6 million on the first weekend of its quest. That doesn’t bode well for future instalments, but then we didn’t truly expect this first sequel to happen, either. Last week's top spot owner 2 Guns was rudely shoved down to fifth place, taking in $11.1 million.
The Smurfs continued to work their slightly disturbing magic on audiences, with the sequel making $9.5 million for sixth. The Wolverine fell to seventh, earning $8 million, a total of $112m in the US to date, while The Conjuring slipped to eighth and $6.7 million. Despicable Me 2 was ninth with $5.7 million while Grown Ups 2 earned $3.7 million at tenth.
To see a man in an exo-suit beating up a wisecracking drug smuggler, head to the full chart listings at Box Office Mojo.