Film News: ‘Madagascar 3’ Pummels ‘Prometheus’ at Weekend Box Office

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CHICAGO – Though the box office race initially appeared to be neck-and-neck, the final tally was no contest. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” won the weekend with a grand haul of $60.4 million, beating its less family-friendly competitor, the sci-fi thriller, “Prometheus,” which still managed to garner one of the best second place debuts in history.

While the third installment of DreamWorks’ star-studded animated franchise fell slightly below the opening revenue of its 2008 predecessor, “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” it still proved to be vastly more successful that recent sequels such as “Happy Feet Two” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.” Meanwhile, the 3D “Prometheus” enjoyed the second biggest opening weekend for a Ridley Scott picture behind 2001’s “Hannibal.”

After finding spectacular success in ultra-limited release, Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” expanded to 96 locations and managed to crack the top ten this weekend. This should be encouraging news for suburban moviegoers eager to see the critically acclaimed Anderson film at their local multiplex.

THREE-DAY WEEKEND ESTIMATED TOTALS
1. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted - $60.4 million - new
2. Prometheus - $50 million - new
3. Snow White and the Huntsman - $23.1 million - down 59.1% - $98.5 million
4. Men in Black 3 - $13.5 million - down 51.9% - $135.5 million
5. The Avengers - $10.8 million - down 47.2% - $571.8 million
6. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - $3.3 million - down 27.8% - $31 million
7. What to Expect When You’re Expecting - $2.7 million - down 38.5% - $35.7 million
8. Battleship - $2.3 million - down 55.1% - $59.8 million
9. The Dictator - $2.2 million - down 54.3% - $55.2 million
10. Moonrise Kingdom - $1.6 million - up 80.1% - $3.7 million

Source: Box Office Mojo

By MATT FAGERHOLM Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com matt@hollywoodchicago.com