'Shutter Island' rules box office again, 'Avatar' crosses $700 million

(News Terupdate) - No one will question Paramount Pictures' decision to move "Shutter Island" out of last year's crowded fall corridor into Spring 2010 after it racked up a number one slot for the second weekend in a row.

For the Leonardo DiCaprio-Martin Scorsese pairing earned an estimated $22.2 million, out-grossing any new releases and putting its total box office at over $75 million.

Of the new releases, Kevin Smith's buddy comedy "Cop Out," starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, was the highest grosser with a $18.5 million opener and a second-place spot in the rankings.

Overture Films' R-rated horror film "The Crazies" debuted at $16.5 million for third place.

"Avatar" continues to astound. James Cameron's extravaganza fell only 14 percent its eleventh weekend in theaters to gross an additional $14 million, putting its domestic gross at an unbelievable $706 million. The minimal drop will give Twentieth Century Fox added ammunition as it tries to hold onto 3-D screens opposite Disney's "Alice in Wonderland" next weekend.

Fifth place belonged to Fox's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." The PG-rated film is one of the only family films in the marketplace and its $9.8 million gross, representing a scant 36 percent fall, illustrates the movie's staying power.

The rest of the top ten was dominated by holdovers. Warner Bros.' "Valentine's Day" took the 6th slot with an additional $9.5 million. The ensemble romantic comedy has now earned $100 million.

Seventh place belonged to "Dear John," the Sony film financed by Relativity Media, that grossed an estimated $5 million its fourth weekend in theaters. The 30 percent drop brings the Amanda Seyfried-Channing Tatum romance to a total cume of $72.6 million.

R-rated "The Wolfman" held onto the 8th slot, grossing $4 million for a total gross of $57 million.

"The Tooth Fairy" took spot nine, earning $3.4 million. The Dwayne Johnson-starrer has now grossed an estimated $54 million.

And slot ten went to the Oscar-nominated "Crazy Heart," which earned $2.5 million for the tenth spot at the box office. The Jeff Bridges vehicle has now earned an impressive $25 million, a figure that's likely to grow if Bridges wins the Oscar for Best Actor at the Academy Awards next weekend.

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