Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix held onto the top spot at the box office over the weekend, conjuring up an estimated $77.4 million. Since opening on Wednesday, the pic has earned approximately $140 million in North America and has done even better overseas, racking up around $190 million in foreign markets to bring its worldwide take to about $330 million.
Despite losing nearly half of its opening weekend audience, DreamWorks/Paramount’s Transformers managed an estimated $36 million in its second week. Director Michael Bay’s live-action/CG take on ’80s cartoon series and toy line has raked in approximately $223 million in North America and has amassed a worldwide gross of about $369 million.
Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille held strong at No. 3 over the weekend, packing away another $18 million at home to bring its domestic cume to an estimated $143 million. The family film from directo Brad Bird has been rolling out gradually overseas and has brought in an addition $17 million from select markets. It should do particualraly well in France, though the latest Harry Potter flick is currently the top draw in the country. Pixar has a solid worldwide following, though more action-oriented fare such as The Incredibles, also directed by Bird, tends to translate a bit better than the buddy-comedy formula. The $370 million overseas gross for The Incredibles eclipsed its domestic draw, while Cars did better in the states.
Live Free or Die Hard finished fourth for the weekend with an estimated $10.8 million. The Bruce Willis actioner crossed the $100 million mark domestically and is nearing $200 worldwide. Rounding out the top five is Warner Bros.’ Robin Williams comedy License to Wed, which earned an estimated $7.4 million in its second week. Meanwhile, After Dark Films’ controversial horror thriller Captivity tanked, bringing in just $1.5 million in the U.S. to debut at No. 12. The flick has received more love from foreign markets, where it has brought in about $3.8 million to date.
