Latest ‘X-Men’ flick tops weekend box office

Actor James McAvoy attends the "X-Men: First Class" New York Premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. - AFP (File Photo)

LOS ANGELES: “X-Men: First Class,” a prequel that drops the franchise’s mutants into the Cuban Missile Crisis, topped the North American box office on its debut with dollar 55 million, tallies showed Monday.
Starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, the fifth installment of the popular series shines light on the beginning of the X-Men saga and a “secret history” of the Cold War.
“The Hangover: Part II” was bumped from the top spot, bringing in dollar 31.3 million, for a two week total of nearly dollar 186 million, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Bradley Cooper and company retrace their bachelor party missteps – just like the first time – but in Bangkok instead of Las Vegas.

“Kung Fu Panda 2,” another sequel with Jack Black and Angelina Jolie voicing the lead roles, came in third with dollar 23.9 million, giving it a two-week total of dollar 100 million.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth installment starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, earned dollar 18 million in the fourth spot, for dollar 190 million in three weeks.
The surprise hit “Bridesmaids,” a comedy about a group of women preparing for their wedding day supporting roles, dropped one spot to fifth, grossing dollar 12 million in its fourth week.
“Thor,” starring Chris Hemsworth as the mythical hero banished to Earth from the mystical world of Asgard, was down a notch, pulling in dollar 4.2 million for a five-week total of dollar 169 million.
“Fast Five,” the fifth in the high-speed car chase series, was in seventh after earning dollar 3.2 million. It has made more than dollar 200 million in six weeks.
Woody Allen’s whimsical “Midnight in Paris,” sunk to eighth place earning dollar 2.7 million from just 147 theaters.
Rounding out the top 10 were romantic comedy “Something Borrowed” and “Jumping the Broom,” about two African-American families gathering for a wedding celebration. They earned less than dollar 850,000 each.