Ender’s Game debuted top of the North American charts through Lionsgate-Summit to deliver a timely success for the independent space heading into the AFM this week.

Buyers who acquired international rights from Sierra/Affinity to OddLot’s young adult sci-fi adaptation will be in Santa Monica this week savouring the film’s recent or imminent debut in their territories. To date Ender’s Game has grossed approximately $9.1m from 15 territories.

Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Abigail Breslin and Hailee Seinfeld star and Gavin Hood directed. IMAX was in the thick of the North American result as 326 screens produced $4.9m.

Dethroned Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa fell one place to number two to stand at $62.1m after two weekends, ahead of two other new arrivals.

The comedy Last Vegas with Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline arrived in third place on a decent $16.5m through CBS Films and family animation Free Birds opened at number four through Relativity Media on $16.2m.

Gravity in fifth place stands at $219.2m through Warner Bros after five weekends, while New Regency’s 12 Years A Slave climbed one place to number seven in the third weekend through Fox Searchlight after expanding by 287 into 410 theatres on $4.6m for $8.8m.

The Working Title rom-com About Time starring Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson debuted at number 12 through Universal on $1.1m from 175.

Focus Features debuted its awards season contender Dallas Buyers Club starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. The true story grossed $264,000 from nine theatres for an impressive $29,333 average. Jean-Mac Valleé directed and Voltage Pictures financed and handles international sales.

Keanu Reeves’ Man Of Tai Chi opened on $112,300 from 110 sites for a lowly $1,021 average. The film opened on September 27 on VOD through RADiUS-TWC, who said last week the digital debut had generated $1.5m to date, although it remained unclear how many people watched the film and how much of that $1.5m goes back to the distributor after the carriers take their cut.

eOne opened Diana starring Naomi Watts on $64,900 from 38 for a lacklustre $1,708 average.

Overall box office surged 27% against last weekend and dropped 2.3% against the same session last year.

Next weekend’s wide release is Marvel Studio’s Thor: The Dark World through Buena Vista. Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Natalie Portman star.

Estimated Top 10 North America Nov 1-3 2013
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date
1 (-) Ender’s Game (Lionsgate-Summit) Sierra/Affinity $28m –
2 (1) Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (Paramount) PPI $20.5m $62.1m
3 (-) Last Vegas (CBS Films) Good Universe $16.5m –
4 (-) Free Birds (Relativity Media) Relativity International $16.2m –
5 (2) Gravity (Warner Bros) WBPI $13.1m $219.2m
6 (3) Captain Phillips (Sony) SPRI $8.5m $82.6m
7 (8) 12 Years A Slave (Fox Searchlight) Lionsgate International $4.6m $8.8m
8 (5) Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (Sony) SPRI $4.2m $106.2m
9 (6) Carrie (Screen Gems) SPRI $3.4m $31.9m
10 (4) The Counselor (Fox) $3.3m $13.4m

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