After a disappointment, at least at the box office, with Rise Of The Guardians DreamWorks Animation is having a cheerier start to its release schedule across the pond as pre-historic family ‘toon** The Croods** opened well, snatching the top slot at the US box office with $44.7 million, at least according to studio estimates.
The appeal of the animated adventure saw it open ahead of action thriller Olympus Has Fallen, with the Gerard Butler-must-save-the-President pic nevertheless starting strong with $30.5 million. The two new arrivals pushed **Oz The Great And Powerful **down to third; though Sam Raimi and Disney will be happy that the fantasy managed $22 million on its third weekend and is headed for a good $200 million-plus US haul before it leaves cinemas. Fourth place went to Halle Berry thriller **The Call **with $8.7 million, while the new Tina Fey/Paul Rudd comedy Admission disappointed by opening in fifth with $6.4 million.
Spring Breakers took advantage of a successful limited opening last weekend to go wider, earning $5 million in sixth for a current run of $5.4 million – not bad for a movie whose budget was in the $2 million range. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone continued to underperform, sinking from third to seventh and $4.2 million. Jack The Giant Slayer slipped to eighth with $2.9 million, Identity Thief was ninth with $2.5 million and Snitch fell to 10th place, earning $1.9 million.
To see cavemen battle terrorists for chart supremacy, head to Box Office Mojo.