‘The Wolverine’ film leads box office pack

LOS ANGELES - Agence France-Presse

This publicity image released by 20th Century Fox shows Hugh Jackman in a scene from ‘The Wolverine.’ AP photo

“The Wolverine” leapt to the top of the box office in its opening weekend, overtaking horror flick “The Conjuring,” industry estimates showed on July 28.

Starring Hugh Jackman as a clawed mutant, the sixth installment of the X-Men franchise took in $55 million, tracker Exhibitor Relations reported.

“The Conjuring,” starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in a drama about paranormal investigators, scared up an estimated $22 million on its second weekend.

Dropping a notch to third place was “Despicable Me 2,” with Steve Carell as a villain-turned doting father, which made $16 million.

Behind it came “Turbo,” a computer-animated comedy about a speed loving snail, which took in $13.3 million its second weekend in theaters.

The summer movies

“Grown Ups 2,” about a summer reunion of middle-aged men, starring comedians Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, was in fifth place with a weekend return of $11.5 million. Action comedy “Red 2” was sixth, with a $9.4 million take on its second weekend in theaters. The sequel stars Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren in a hunt for a missing nuclear device.
 
“Pacific Rim” and its Godzilla-like monsters slipped to seventh place, with $7.5 million, while “The Heat” with Sandra Bullock clung to eighth at $6.8 million in its fifth weekend in theaters.
 
Supernatural flick “R.I.P.D,” about a police force in the afterlife, was ninth at $5.8 million. “Fruitvale Station,” a prize-winning drama about the last day in the life of a young black man killed by a police officer at Oakland, California metro station, delivered a box office surprise. It jumped to 10th place from 17th, making $4.6 million in its third weekend in theaters.