NEW YORK (AP) — "The Lego Movie" clicked with moviegoers,
assembling an exceptional $69.1 million debut at the weekend box
office, according to studio estimates.
The better-than-expected
result made the Warner Bros. collaboration with the Danish toy company
easily the biggest hit of the year so far. A sequel is already in
development for the 3-D animated film, digitally drawn to mimic a world
composed entirely of Lego bricks.
The film has drawn raves from
critics. Co-directors and co-writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller ("21
Jump Street," ”Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs") gave the film a
playful tone to capture the whimsy of a child playing in a box of Legos.
Characters are largely voiced by comic actors like Will Ferrell and
Chris Pratt.
The film marks the biggest animation hit for Warner
Bros., a studio that despite popular live-action franchises has
struggled to develop animated hits on par with other studios.
"I
can’t imagine this not turning into a long-term franchise," said Paul
Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"This is such a runaway success that Warner Bros is now a major player
in the animated genre."
Dan Fellman, head of distribution for
Warner Bros., said the film, made with a production budget of $60
million, resounded because of the popularity of the Lego brand. This is
the first feature film for the toy company. Fellow toy-maker Hasbro has
seen mixed results since the launch of the "Transformers" franchise,
which was followed by "G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra" and the notorious
flop "Battleship."
George Clooney’s World War II caper "The
Monuments Men" opened in second place with $22.7 million. Reviews have
been weak for the based-on-a-true-story tale about the mission to
retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis.
The Sony Pictures film was
postponed from a Dec. 25 release because, Clooney then said, more time
was needed to finish the visual effects. Clooney served as director,
co-writer, producer and star on the film.
"The Monuments Men,"
based on the nonfiction book by Robert Edsel and Brett Witter, was
particularly popular with older moviegoers, with 75 percent of its
audience aged 35 and older.
"It’s right where we hoped to be,"
said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony. "There’s a lot of love
for George and the ensemble cast."
Sliding to third was the cop
comedy "Ride Along," with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. After three straight
weeks atop the box office, the Universal film earned $9.4 million.
The
Weinstein Co.’s bid for a young adult franchise, "Vampire Academy,"
opened poorly with just $4.1 million. The PG-13 film, based on Richelle
Mead’s young adult novels, is about mortal vampires at a boarding
school.
Before opening in North America next weekend, Sony’s "RoboCop" took in $20.2 million overseas.

Estimated
ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters,
according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers are
also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Lego Movie," $69.1 million ($18.1 million international).
2. "The Monuments Men," $22.7 million.
3. "Ride Along," $9.4 million.
4. "Frozen," $6.9 million ($24 million international).
5. "That Awkward Moment," $5.5 million ($1.1 million international).
6. "Lone Survivor," $5.3 million ($1 million international).
7. "Vampire Academy," $4.1 million.
8. "The Nut Job," $3.8 million.
9. "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," $3.6 million ($5.3 million international).
10. "Labor Day," $3.2 million.
___
Estimated
weekend ticket sales Friday through Sunday at international theaters
(excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by
Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
1. "Frozen," $24 million.
2. "The Monkey King," $21.5 million.
3. "RoboCop," $20.2 million.
4. "The Wolf of Wall Street," $19 million.
5. "The Lego Movie," $18.1 million.
6. "The Man From Macau," $13 million.
7. "Dad, Where Are We Going," $12.5 million.
8. "Miss Granny," $8.3 million.
9. "Viy," $6.8 million.
10. "12 Years a Slave," $6.7 million.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.