Transformers 3 Has Best July 4th Ever

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgParamount and DreamWorks' TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON exploded into the U.S. box office over the July 4th weekend. The threequel scored $97.5 million from Friday to Sunday. Adding in the holiday Monday, the film made $116.4 million. Since its sneak peeks on Tuesday the epic actioner has a cume of $181.1 million. Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Digital Domain, Atomic Fiction, Kerner Optical, Method Studios, Mova, Prana Studios and Prime Focus provided the visual effects.

Disney*Pixar's CARS 2 parked in second with a three-day haul of $26.2 million and a four-day haul of $32.1 million. The globetrotting sequel has earned $123 million to date.

Sony's BAD TEACHER held class in third with $14.5 million for three days and $17.6 for four. The naughty comedy has a cume of $63 million.

Universal's LARRY CROWNE debuted in fourth with $13.1 million for three days and $15.7 for four.

Fox's MONTE CARLO placed fifth with $7.4 million and $8.8 million over the three days and four days, respectively. BUF provided vfx for the Selena Gomez vehicle.

SUPER 8 held strong, finishing sixth with $7.82 in three days and $9.52 over four. With vfx from Industrial Light & Magic, Scanline VFX, Pixomondo, Evil Eye, Base FX and Bad Robot, the J.J. Abrams original has a cume of $110.1 million.

Warner Bros. GREEN LANTERN plummeted from third to seventh, scoring $6.52 million over the weekend and $7.99 million when adding in the 4th. With vfx from 4DMax, BUF, Gnomon Studios, Hydraulx, Mova, Moving Picture Company (MPC), Peanut FX, Pixel Liberation Front, Pixel Playground, Plowman Craven & Associates, Proof, Rising Sun Pictures, Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI), Stereoscopic FX, Svengali Visual Effects, Trixter Film and i.e. Effects, the lackluster superhero flick as a cume of $103.7 million.

In eight, Fox's MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS waddled in another $5.45 million in three days and $6.85 million in four. With vfx from Rhythm and Hues, the Jim Carrey starrer has a cume of $51.9 million.

Universal's BRIDESMAIDS shows more leg staying in the top ten after eight weeks. The comedy earned another $3.65 million in three days and $771,000 on Monday. The female raunch fest has a cume of $153 million.

Sony Pictures Classics' MIDNIGHT IN PARIS returned to the top ten with $3.57 over the weekend and $750,000 on Independence Day. The Woody Allen hit has a cume of $33.8 million.

Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.