‘Cinderella’ is belle of weekend box office

NEW YORK – “Let It Go” may be Walt Disney’s anthem these days, but “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” might be the more accurate theme song for the Disney juggernaut.

Disney’s recent streak continued over the weekend with the $70.1 million North American debut of its traditional, sumptuously costumed fairy tale adaptation Cinderella, according to studio estimates Sunday. Interest in the film, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Lily James of Downton Abbey, was boosted by a Frozen short, Frozen Fever, that played before the feature.

Disney’s box-office surge has been propelled partly by the so-called “halo effect” of Frozen, a sequel to which Disney announced last week. But it’s also been driven by the appeal of seeing Disney cartoon classics turned into live-action fantasies. Cinderella follows previous live-action hits like Maleficent (whose May 2014 debut of $69.4 million Cinderella narrowly bested) and Alice in Wonderland.

The holiday release Into the Woods, from the Stephen Sondheim musical, added to the live-action trend, and many more are on the way. The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and Dumbo are all coming in live action, as is a sequel to Alice in Wonderland.

The success of Cinderella, which cost about $95 million to make, was international. It made $62.4 million overseas, including $25 million in China. Disney could also celebrate Big Hero 6 becoming the top-grossing worldwide animated release of 2014; the Oscar-winner has made $633 million globally.

The powers of another box-office force, Liam Neeson, were checked. Neeson’s latest thriller, Run All Night, a New York crime saga co-starring Ed Harris, opened with $11 million.

The film’s poor performance marks the weakest debut for the Taken star as an action film lead.

Kingsman: The Secret Service and Focus were No. 3 and 4 respectively.

Last week’s top film, the sci-fi thriller Chappie, from District 9 director Neil Blomkamp, slid to fifth with $5.8 million.