'Lone Survivor' blows away North American box office

Actor Mark Wahlberg and wife Rhea Durham Action drama "Lone Survivor" climbed to top spot at the North American box office, earning $37.8 million in its first weekend in general release, industry figures showed Monday. Three movies that won honors at Sunday's Golden Globe awards were also in the top 10 -- although the prizes for "American Hustle," "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Frozen" will likely only show in a box office boost starting this coming weekend.
"Lone Survivor," starring Mark Wahlberg and portraying one of the deadliest incidents of the Afghan war, is based on a book by the only Navy SEAL commando to survive a raid targeting an extremist fighter.
It had been showing on a few screens but starting Friday was available at thousands nationwide.
The patriotic tribute directed by Peter Berg pushed Disney animated musical "Frozen" -- which won best animated Golden Globe -- into second place, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
"Frozen," loosely based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, added another $14.7 million in earnings, taking its eight-week haul in the United States and Canada to more than $317 million.
Debuting in third with $8.9 million was superhero flick "The Legend of Hercules," which retraces the demigod's youth when he was still unaware of his divine ascendancy, sold as a slave and fighting to reconquer his kingdom.
In fourth spot was Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" with $8.8 million.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio -- who won a best actor Golden Globe for the role -- it tells the story of disgraced financier Jordan Belfort, who conned his way to hundreds of millions in the 1990s while maintaining a notoriously drug-fuelled lifestyle.
"American Hustle" -- which won three Globes including best musical/comedy film -- was fifth, earning $8.3 million for the story of grifters who team up with an FBI agent to net other con artists.
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," fell to sixth spot with just over $8 million.
The second part of director Peter Jackson's trilogy of films, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved classic, has earned $242 million to date in North America.
Rising to seventh place after three weeks in theaters was "August: Osage County," which secured nominations for stars Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts at the Globes, but no wins.
It tells the story of a domineering, drug-addicted, cancer-suffering grandmother who bullies, ridicules and insults her dysfunctional relatives as they descend on the family home in Oklahoma for a funeral. It earned $7.2 million.
Eighth was "Saving Mr Banks," a drama about Walt Disney's quest to make a film adaptation of Mary Poppins, with $6.6 million.
It stars Tom Hanks as Disney and Emma Thompson as Poppins's anti-Hollywood author. The British actress was nominated for a best actress Globe, but went home empty-handed.
Horror film "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones," the fifth movie of the hugely successful franchise, earned $6.3 million in its second weekend, good enough for ninth place.
The "Paranormal Activity" franchise has earned more than $750 million worldwide since the original low-budget film, made for just $15,000, took the box office by storm in 2009.
And rounding out the top 10 was "Anchorman 2," the Will Ferrell comedy that sees him reprise his role as screwball newsman Ron Burgundy. The sequel took $5.8 million.
Source: AFP