In their first big-screen pairing, the Jet Li-and-Jackie-Chan led THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM won the box office for the weekend ending April 20. The Lionsgate film (vfx by Macrograph, DTI, Footage, Asia Legend, Xing Xing, Svengali, Illusion Arts, Stingray VFX, Digiscope and Frantic Films) earned $20.87 million in its debut.
It topped second place finisher, comedy FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (Universal), which earned $17.348M in its opening weekend and earned some very positive reviews.
Last week's winner, PROM NIGHT (Screengems, vfx by Lola Visual Effects) dropped to third with a haul of $9.1M for a two-week cume of $32.6M.
Al Pacino-led thriller 88 MINUTES (Sony, vfx by Worldwide FX) opened in a disappointing fourth place with just $6.8M.
Fox's NIM'S ISLAND pulled in another $5.65M for a three-week gross of $32.9M. The fantasy film's vfx were by CafeFX, Eden FX, Handmade Digital and Lola Visual Effects.
Sixth place went to blackjack drama 21, earning another $5.5M for Sony (vfx by Proof, SWAY Studios) for a total gross of almost $70 million.
STREET KINGS (Fox Searchlight, vfx by At The Post and CafeFX) dropped to seventh place with $4M for a two-week cume of $19.9M.
Fox's DR SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! stayed in the top 10 for a sixth week, bringing in $3.5M for a cume of $144.4M.
Newcomer EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED (Rocky Mountain Pictures) brought in $3.153M, good enough for ninth place.
And football comedy LEATHERHEADS dropped again to 10th place with $3.022M for a three week gross of $26.6M. The Universal film's vfx were by CIS Hollywood and Reel FX Creative.
PERSEPOLIS did another $26,500 for Sony Pictures Classics.
Box office information from BoxOfficeMojo.com.
