Conan, Fright Night, Spy Kids 4 Get Wrong Kind of Box Office Help

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgFor the weekend of Aug. 19-21, 2011, THE HELP claimed the top spot at the box office fending off three new vfx spectacles. Walt Disney's civil rights drama earned another $20.5 million, firmly putting it at #1 in its second week in theaters. The Oscar hopeful has a cume of $71.8 million.

Fox's RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES slipped to second with $16.3 million. With vfx from Weta Digital, Halon Ent. and Pixel Liberation Front, the prequel has brought in $133.7 million to date.

While still boasting a soft opening, Dimension's SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD surprisingly placed the highest of the weekend's debut films. With effects from Hybride, Speedshape and Troublemaker Studios, the family franchise film took in $12 million.

Lionsgate's CONAN THE BARBARIAN premiered in fourth with a disappointing $10 million for a film budgeted at $90 million. Dr. PICTURE Studios, Legend3D, Arcadia SFX, BOT VFX, Crazy Horse Effects, Plowman Craven & Associates, Proof, Rocket Science 3D, The Third Floor and Worldwide FX provided vfx work.

Sony's THE SMURFS smurfaced in fifth, earning an additional $8 million. With vfx from Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI), Framestore, Lola Visual Effects, Tippett Studio, Drac Studios, Illusion Industries, The Base Studio and The Third Floor, the blue-skinned comedy has a cume of $117.7 million.

Of the debut films, Walt Disney's FRIGHT NIGHT was an even bigger disappointment coming in sixth. With vfx from Digital Domain, Eden FX, Entity FX, Hirota Paint Industries (HPI), Shade VFX and The Third Floor, the remake staked only $7.9 million on a $30 million budget.

New Line's FINAL DESTINATON 5 survived another week in seventh. With vfx from Halon Ent., Prime Focus Film and Soho VFX, the horror franchise flick added $7.71 million to its $32.3 million cume.

Sony's 30 MINUTES OR LESS stole the eighth slot with an additional $6.3 million. The bank robbery comedy has a cume of $25.7 million.

Focus Features' drama ONE DAY debuted in ninth with $5.13 million.

Warner Bros.' CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE. closed out the top ten. The romcom brought in $4.95 million, lifting its cume to $64.4 million.

Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.