Transformers noses past Ice Age in box office photo finish

Preliminary figures released by the studios confirmed one of the closest box office contests in years. Fox’s animated sequel took $66.6m over five days and was the clear winner overseas thanks to a mighty $148m launch that raised the global tally after five days to more than $215m.

The Transformers sequel dropped roughly 60% in its second weekend but overtook Disney/Pixar’s Up to become the biggest domestic release of the year-to-date on $293.4m after two weekends and an extraordinary $591m worldwide.

The top two were too strong for Universal’s gangster thriller Public Enemies from Michael Mann, which stars Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard and opened third on a nonetheless impressive $26.2m and $41m over five days.

Disney’s romantic comedy The Proposalis nearing $100m in its third weekend and fell two spots to number four on $12.8m for $94.2m, while in fifth place Warner Bros’ hit comedy The Hangover crossed $200m in its fifth weekend after raising the tally by $10.4m for $204.2m.

Up ranks sixth and has taken $264.9m after six weekends while Warner Bros’ drama My Sister’s Keeper dropped 57.8% in its second weekend and fell two places to number seven on $5.3m for $25.9m.

Next weekend’s wide releases are: Universal/Media Rights Capital’s comedy creation Bruno spawned from the imagination of Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Larry Charles; and Fox’s comedy I Love You, Beth Cooper starring Hayden Panettiere.