Friday Report: 'Sucker Punch' Nabs Fleeting Lead
Sucker Punch packed enough wallop to top Friday, but Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules was hot on its heels and will likely take the weekend with stronger Saturday and Sunday grosses, due to its kid appeal. Overall business was a bit down from the same Friday last year, when How to Train Your Dragon led.

Striking approximately 3,900 screens at 3,033 locations, Sucker Punch mustered an estimated $8.1 million, which was a tad more than Kick-Ass's opening last Spring and much greater than Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. However, it was no match for the Kill Bill and Resident Evil movies among other comparable titles, and, for all its hype, it's on track for an average opening for an action heroine movie. It was also director Zack Snyder's worst live-action start yet, following Dawn of the Dead, 300 and Watchmen.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules bagged an estimated $7.3 million on close to 4,000 screens at 3,167 locations, which was nearly as much as its predecessor. The first Diary of a Wimpy Kid drew nearly $7.4 million on around 3,400 screens at 3,077 locations in its first Friday last March, which led to a $22.1 million weekend and $64 million final gross.

Among holdovers, thrillers appealing to adults saw the smallest percentage declines. Last week's leader Limitless eased 30 percent Friday-to-Friday to an estimated $4.6 million for a $30.7 million sum in eight days. Its drop was smaller than similar movies like 21, The Social Network and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps at the same point.

The Lincoln Lawyer held even better, down 27 percent to an estimated $3 million for a $20.9 million tally in eight days. The Adjustment Bureau had its best hold yet, falling 29 percent to an estimated $1.3 million for a $51.9 million total in 22 days.

It was largely business as usual for the rest of the holdovers. Rango slipped 43 percent to an estimated $2.4 million, increasing its sum to $99 million in 22 days. It will surpass Just Go With It and the $100 million mark today to become the top-grossing movie of the year so far.

The aliens retreated en masse. True to its niche roots, Paul was off 49 percent to an estimated $2.3 million for a $19.4 million tally in eight days. Seeing its $100 million dreams dim further, Battle: Los Angeles fell 51 percent to an estimated $2.2 million for a $67.2 million haul in 15 days. After boasting the best hold last weekend, Mars Needs Moms lost nearly a third of its locations and saw business come crashing down by 65 percent to an estimated $525,000. Its total inched up to a paltry $17.5 million in 15 days.

Comps for:

'Sucker Punch'

'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules'



This Timeframe in Past Years:

• 2010 - 'Dragon' Takes Flight, 'Hot Tub' Gets Soaked

• 2009 -
'Monsters,' 'Haunting' Scare Up Big Business

• 2008 - '21' Scores

• 2007 - 'Blades' Takes Gold, 'Robinsons' Merits Silver

• 2006 - 'Inside Man' Takes the Bank

• 2006 - 'Ice Age 2' Hot, 'Basic Instinct 2' Not

• 2005 - 'Guess Who' Dines at Top Spot