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Box Office Report: Holdovers Score Big on Oscar Weekend

Holdover films ‘Fifty Shades,’Kingsman: The Secret Service’ and ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’ fend off a trio of new offerings at the domestic box office.

Despite a steep drop-off in audience attendance, Universal’s Fifty Shades of Grey remained at the top of the box office charts for the second week in a row, racing past the $400 million mark globally with $68.1 million for an international total of $280.5 million. Domestically, the $40 million EL James film adaptation directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan earned $23.2 million for a 10-day total of $130.1 million.

Matthew Vaughn's cheeky British spy film Kingsman: The Secret Service held onto the number two spot in its second weekend, taking in $17.5 million for a domestic total of $67.1 million. The 20th Century Fox film earned another $33 million overseas for a foreign total of $86.6 million and global tally of $153.7 million. Kingsman, which has been described as Kick-Ass-meets-007, is soaring in South Korea, where it has already earned $8.9 million to become the top-grossing R-rated foreign title of all time, surpassing all James Bond titles in only two weeks.

Paramount's The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, now in its third weekend, claimed the number three spot in North America with $15.5 million for a domestic total of $125.2 million. Overseas, the 2D/CG/live-action hybrid film took in another $21 million from 44 markets for a foreign total of $76 million and worldwide tally of $191.2 million.

Among new entries, McFarland, USA narrowly edged out teen comedy The DUFF with an $11.3 million debut and a fourth place finish. The inspirational sports-themed family film stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, the real-life coach who teamed with underdog kids to build a championship cross-country team at McFarland High School, a predominately Hispanic school in McFarland, CA. Produced for $25 million, the Disney film was originally slated to open in November. Directed by Niki Caro, McFarland also stars Carlos Pratts, Valente Rodriguez, Maria Bello and Morgan Saylor.

The DUFF, the first project from Lionsgate's new distribution and marketing partnership with CBS Films, exceeded expectations with an $11 million debut, with young women making up 75 percent of ticket buyers. Costing a mere $8.5 million, The DUFF stars Mae Whitman (Parenthood, Arrested Development) as Bianca, who makes herself over after learning she's the "designated Ugly Fat Friend" of two more popular girls. The ensemble cast also includes Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos and Skyler Samuels.

Warner Bros. holdover American Sniper crossed the $400 million mark worldwide, placing number six domestically with $9.7 million for a domestic total of $319.6 million. Overseas, Clint Eastwood's movie earned $20.5 million from 55 markets for a foreign cume of $108.5 million and global total of $428.1 million.

From Paramount and MGM, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 came in seventh place for its debut, grossing $5.8 million and a C- CinemaScore. The male-fueled movie, opening nearly five years after the first film debuted to $14 million, cost $14 million to make. The sequel, directed by Steve Pink, returns most of the original cast, including Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke and Chevy Chase, joined by newcomer Adam Scott. This time out, the crew inadvertently lands in the future.

Now in its third week at the box office, the Wachowski’s Jupiter Ascending came in eighth place with $3.6 million for a domestic total of $39.5 million. Overseas, big-budget sci-fi space opera, produced for $176 million, made $55.6 million for distributors Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures, pushing the film’s foreign tally to $75 million for a total of $114.5 worldwide.

The Weinstein Co.’s The Imitation Game came in ninth place, adding $2.5 million in its 13th week at the domestic box office for a total of $83.9 million. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, the British drama has made a total of $76.9 million overseas for a grand total of $160.8 million worldwide.

Rounding out the list at number 10 is StudioCanal’s CG/live-action hybrid feature Paddington, which made $2.3 million over Oscar weekend for U.S. distributor The Weinstein Co. for a domestic total of $67.6 million. Overseas the family-friendly adventure has made a total of $154.2 million for a global tally of $221.9 million.

Meanwhile, Oscar winner Big Hero 6 has now earned $326 million overseas and $546 million worldwide. The animated Disney feature expands in to China on Saturday, where it will only need to make roughly $35 million to get past $600 million worldwide.

Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.