Little Fockers weathered East Coast blizzards and a storm of critical disapproval to launch top of the US charts on an estimated $34m.

The third entry in Universal’s comedy franchise sees Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reprise their roles once again as the feuding in-laws and has taken $48.3m since it debuted last Wednesday (22).

Paramount’s Western remake and awards contender True Grit from the Coen Brothers opened in second place on $25.6m, rising to $36.8m since the December 22 launch. It stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld.

Gulliver’s Travels from Fox was buried in seventh place as it launched on $7.2m. It has been a poor year-end session for Fox as The Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader dropped one place to number four and stands at an unconvincing $63.9m after three weekends.

At this rate Dawn Treader is unlikely to fall short of $100m, although the gloom is mitigated by a promising international run that has generated roughly $170m to date.

Last weekend’s champion Tron: Legacy from Buena Vista fell two places but is performing solidly and added $20.1m for $88.3m after two weekends.

Relativity Media’s The Fighter ranks sixth and has grossed $27.6m through Paramount after three weekends. Speaking of awards season contenders, Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan in eighth has taken $29m after four weekends.

The King’s Speech, one of the strongest awards contenders on the circuit, released in North America through The Weinstein Company, expanded from 43 to 700 theatres and climbed three places to number 11 after adding $4.7m for $8.4m in its fifth weekend.

Focus Features opened Sofia Coppola’s loosely autobiographical drama Somewhere on $142,000 from seven, while SPC launched Sylvain Chomet’s animated Oscar contender TheIllusionist on $50,600 from three. Lionsgate expanded Rabbit Hole from five to 34 in the second weekend as $95,200 raised the tally to $176,000.

Estimated Top 10 North America Dec 24-26, 2010

Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Little Fockers (Universal) PPI $34m $48.3m

2 (-) True Grit (Paramount) PPI $25.6m $36.8m

3 (1) Tron: Legacy (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $20.1m $88.3m

4 (3) The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (Fox) Fox Int’l $10.8m $63.9m

5 (2) Yogi Bear (Warner Bros) WBPI $8.8m $36.8m

6 (4) The Fighter (Paramount) TWC/Relativity Media $8.5m $27.6m

7 (-) Gulliver’s Travels (Fox) Fox Int’l $7.2m –

8 (7) Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) Fox Int’l $6.6m $29m

9 (6) Tangled (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $6.5m $143.8m

10 (6) The Tourist (GK Films/Sony) SPRI $5.7m $41.2m

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