NEW YORK – The LEGO Movie clicked with moviegoers, assembling an exceptional $69.1 million debut at the weekend box office, according to studio estimates.
The better-than-expected result made it easily the biggest hit of the year so far. A sequel is already in development for the 3-D animated film, digitally drawn to mimic a world composed entirely of Lego bricks.
The film has drawn raves from critics. Co-directors and co-writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (21 Jump Street, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) gave the film a playful tone to capture the whimsy of a child playing in a box of Legos. Characters are largely voiced by comic actors like Chris Pratt and Will Ferrell.
George Clooney’s World War II caper The Monuments Men opened in second place with $22.7 million. Reviews have been weak for the based-on-a-true-story tale about the mission to retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis.
The film was postponed from a Dec. 25 release because, Clooney then said, more time was needed to finish the visual effects. Clooney served as director, co-writer, producer and star on the film.
The Monuments Men, based on the nonfiction book by Robert Edsel and Brett Witter, was particularly popular with older moviegoers, with 75 per cent of its audience aged 35 and older.
Sliding to third was the cop comedy Ride Along, with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. After three straight weeks atop the box office, the film earned $9.4 million.
Vampire Academy opened poorly with just $4.1 million. The PG-13 film, based on Richelle Mead’s young adult novels, is about mortal vampires at a boarding school.
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