Cop comedy 'Ride Along' finally dethrones 'Star Wars' atop box office
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was finally dethroned from its weeks-long grip atop the North American box office, shoved aside by cop comedy "Ride Along 2" and Oscar favorite "The Revenant."
"Ride Along 2" raked in $34 million for the three-day weekend, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said Sunday, while revenge film "The Revenant" earned $29.5 million.
The latest installment of the popular "Star Wars" saga came in at $25.1 million in its fifth week, boosting it to a worldwide total take of $1.86 billion, third highest ever.
"Ride Along 2" soared to first place in its first week of release, appearing in 3,175 North American theaters.
The film features funny man Kevin Hart as a rookie law officer who aspires to become a detective like his future brother-in-law, played by rapper and actor Ice Cube, as the two become embroiled with a murderous Miami drug ring.
The original "Ride Along" movie, with the same stars, set an opening-weekend record in January 2014, netting $41.6 million.
"The Revenant," in its fourth week in theaters, got a certain boost from news of its nomination for 12 Oscars, most of any film.
The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a legendary fur trapper, has already won Golden Globes for Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) and Best Actor (DiCaprio).
Rounding out the week's top 10 films were:
- "13 Hours," in its first week in theaters ($16 million)
- "Daddy's Home" ($9.3 million)
- "Norm of the North," also in its first week ($6.7 million)
- "The Forest" ($5.8 million)
- "The Big Short" ($5.2 million)
- "Sisters" ($4.4 million)
- "The Hateful Eight" ($3.4 million)