Variety reports the top movies, in terms of box office take, for the week of 16-22 September 2011. The 3-D (and 2-D) re-release of Disney’s 17-year-old The Lion King opened at the top of the charts, roaring up $39.5 million. Contagion slipped from #1 to #2, sneezing up $18.8 million, for a two-week total of $48.6 million. Action flick Drive opened in the third lane. Opening at #5 and #6 were Straw Dogs and I Don’t Know How She Does It. Rise of the Planet of the Apes slipped from #6 to #9, turning over $3.4 million, for a seven-week total of $172.4 million.
Shark Night 3D slipped from #7 to #11, gobbling up $2.2 million, for a three-week total of $17.8 million. Spy Kids: All the Time in the World slipped from #12 to #14, seeking out $1.8 million, for a five-week total of $36.3 million. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark fell from #11 to #16, claiming $1.5 million, for a four-week total of $23.1 million. The Smurfs slipped from #14 to #17, smurfing up $1.5 million, for an eight-week total of $137.8 million. Apollo 18 fell from #9 to #18, landing $1.4 million, for a three-week total of $17.2 million. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II slipped from #16 to #19, conjuring up $1.0 million, for a ten-week total of $378.4 million. Captain America: The First Avenger slipped from #17 to #20, commanding $750 thousand, for a nine-week total of $174.5 million. Cowboys & Aliens slipped from #18 to #22, rounding up $700 thousand, for an eight-week total of $99.0 million. Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which fell off the charts two weeks ago, this week popped back up to #23, transforming $650 thousand, for a twelve-week total of $351.5 million.
Falling out of the top 25 this week was:
Final Destination 5 (last week’s #22), in its sixth week in release (box office total: $42.2 million)