Limitless rules US box office on $19m in cautious weekend

Overall the session dropped approximately 10% compared to this time last year. Rango held on to second place on $14.3m and is racing towards $100m after three weekends.

Two other top ten launches delivered acclaimed courtroom drama The Lincoln Lawyer in fourth place on $13.4m and Universal-Relativity’s sci-fi homage Paul in fifth place on $13.2m. It was produced in association with Working Title and StudioCanal and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and was directed by Greg Mottola.

Last weekend’s champion Battle: Los Angeles from Sony fell to third place and stands at $60m after two. Buena Vista’s animation Mars Needs Moms continued to struggle and fell three places to number eight and has amassed $15.4m after two weekends.

Anchor Bay Films reported that in the second weekend crime drama Kill The Irishman expanded by 16 screens on to 21 and added $144,000 for $335,698. Focus Features’ Jane Eyre climbed eight slots to number 18 after expanding by 22 on to 26 and added $478,000 for $731,000 after the second weekend. Fox Searchlight’s Win Win from Thomas McCarthy opened on $154,000 from five for an excellent $30,800 average.

Next weekend’s wide releases are: Warner Bros’ fantasy adventure Sucker Punch from director Zack Snyder and Fox’s family sequel Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

Estimated Top 10 North America Mar 18-20, 2010
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Limitless (Relativity) $19m –

2 (2) Rango (Paramount) PPI $15.3m $92.6m

3 (1) Battle: Los Angeles (Sony) SPRI $14.6m $60.6m

4 (-) The Lincoln Lawyer (Lionsgate) Lakeshore Int’l $13.4m —

5 (-) Paul (Universal) UPI $13.2m –

6 (3) Red Riding Hood (Warner Bros) WBPI $7.3m $25.9m

7 (4) The Adjustment Bureau (Universal) UPI $5.9m $48.8m

8 (5) Mars Needs Moms (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $5.3m $15.4m

9 (6) Beastly (CBS Films) Sierra / Affinity $3.3m $22.2m

10 (7) Hall Pass (Warner Bros/New Line) WBPI $2.6m $39.6m