New Line’s exorcism drama The Rite starring Anthony Hopkins opened top in a weak weekend in North America through Warner Bros on an estimated $15m.

CBS Films’ action remake The Mechanic starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster debuted in third place behind Paramount’s erstwhile champion No Strings Attached on $11.5m.

The Academy Awards contenders are all playing well. The Weinstein Company/FilmNation’s The King’s Speechranks fifth on $72.2m after w10 weekends; Paramount’s True Grit has amassed $148.4m after six; Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan stands at $90.7m after nine; and Relativity/Paramount’s The Fighter has grossed $78.4m after eight.

Coming off a busy Sundance, Roadside Attractions released Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Spanish-language drama Biutiful in 57 theatres and reported a $461,000 gross. Mexico’s official foreign language nominee stars Oscar nominated Javier Bardem.

Lionsgate opened From Prada To Nada on $1.1m from 256 sites.

Next weekend’s wide releases are Universal’s underwater thriller Sanctum 3D and Sony/ScreemGem’s thriller The Roommate.

Estimated Top 10 North America Jan 28-30, 2010

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

1 (-) The Rite (Warner Bros / New Line) WBPI $15m –

2 (1) No Strings Attached (Paramount) PPI $13.7m $39.7m

3 (-) The Mechanic (CBS) $11.5m –

4 (2) The Green Hornet (Sony) SPRI $11.5m $78.8m

5 (4) The King’s Speech (TWC) FilmNation $11.1m $72.2m

6 (5) True Grit (2010) (Paramount) PPI $7.6m $148.4m

7 (3) The Dilemma (Universal) UPI $5.5m $40.6m

8 (6) Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) Fox Int’l $5.1m $90.7m

9 (8) The Fighter (Paramount) TWC/Relativity Media $4.1m $78.4m

10 (9) Yogi Bear (Warner Bros) WBPI $3.2m $92.5m

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