Chappie Topples Focus At U.S. Box Office This Weekend

by Helen Earnshaw | 9 March 2015

Chappie has toppled Focus from the top of the U.S. box office on its first weekend on release.

Chappie

Chappie marks the return of Neill Blomkamp to the director's chair for the third feature film of his career, coming off the back of District 9 and Elysium.

The movie see him stick with the science fiction genre, while Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver, and Sharlto Copley make up a terrific cast list. The movie opened with $13.3 million, which was enough to knock Will Smith from the top of the U.S. box office.

Focus saw Smith team up with Margot Robbie for the first time, and the film had to settle for second this week as it fell just a single place to number two.

The movie grossed a further $10 million over the weekend as it continued to perform well around the world. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was the second highest new entry as it opened at number three.

The movie has already topped the box office in the UK, and comes three years after the rather unexpected success of the first film. John Madden returns to the director's chair, while Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are two of the familiar faces also returning.

Kingsman: The Secret Service was down two places this week at four, while The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water was also down two as it rounded off the top five.

Fifty Shades of Grey fell out of the top five this week as it fell two spots from four to six. McFarland, USA was down just one place this week from six to seven.

The Lazarus Effect was this week's biggest faller, as it was down three places from five to eight. The Duff was another film that slipped just one spot as it finished the weekend at number nine.

Unfinished Business rounded off the top ten and was the third and final new entry on the chart this week.