Final Destination' still tops

		Cinema still from 'The Final Destination'. -- PHOTO: WARNER BROS

LOS ANGELES - REIGNING champ The Final Destination fended off a challenge from Sandra Bullock's latest romantic comedy to lead the US Labour Day holiday box office in North America for a second weekend, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

The Final Destination, the fourth movie in a horror franchise about disastrous occurrences, earned US$12.4 million (S$17.8 million) during the three days beginning Friday.

The 10-day haul for the Warner Bros release rose to US$47.6 million, buoyed by premium pricing for 3D screenings.

Warner Bros is a unit of Time Warner Inc All About Steve, a critical bomb starring Bullock as a lovelorn crossword-puzzle expert, followed with US$11.2 million, the best performance among three weak newcomers.

That marked a considerable drop from the US$33.6 million launch of her previous hit The Proposal in June.

All About Steve co-star Bradley Cooper did even better that month with the US$45 million debut of his summer smash The Hangover.

But the new picture played in 2,251 theaters, about 900 less than either The Proposal, The Final Destination or The Hangover.

It was also released at a time - the dying days of summer - when the studios are clearing out underperformers so they can focus on their awards-season hopefuls.

'We're thrilled with the number,' said an official at 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Bullock also produced the movie, whose audience was about two-thirds female, according to Fox.

Inglourious Basterds slipped one place to No 3 with US$10.8 million, taking the three-week tally for Quentin Tarantino's World War Two picture to US$91 million. -- REUTERS

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