Second Time’s Not a Charm for ‘The Smurfs’

Sony’s big summer sequel Smurfs 2 failed to draw big numbers at the American box office this past weekend. The live-action/CG-animated hybrid landed in the third spot Stateside, making about $27.8 million during its first five days at the box office.

The studio was projecting a $35 million opening weekend, since the original movie brought in about $35.6 million during its first three-day weekend in 2011.

Peyo’s little blue guys and gal fared better overseas where they made a total of $80.3 million (still less than the studio’s projected $100 million). The numbers were better in Russia and Latin America then they were in Europe, says Deadline.com. The original movie made 75% of overall cume abroad ($420 million foreign vs $142M domestic). Although the critics didn’t warm up to the sequel (it rated a Rotten Tomatoes of 12%), the Raja Gosnell-directed family film scored an A- CinemaScore from audiences.

Smurfs 2 is based on the evergreen comic-book property created Belgian artist Peyo (real name Pierre Culliford) and is the second in a planned trilogy by Sony. Directed by Raja Gosnell, the film also stars Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria and the voice talents of the late Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Christina Ricci, Brendan Gleeson, George Lopez and others.

In addition to facing competition from other recent family titles such as Despicable Me 2, Monsters University and Turbo, the film will also have to contend with Disney’s Planes on August 9.

Here is the rest of the U.S. Top 10:

1. 2 Guns (Universal) Weekend: $27.300 million
2. The Wolverine (Fox) Weekend: $21.735 million; Cume: $95 million
3. Smurfs 2 (Sony) Weekend: $18.200 million; Cume: $27.7 million
4. The Conjuring (Warner Bros.) Weekend: $13.660 million; Cume: $108.5 million
5. Despicable Me 2 (Universal/Illumination) Weekend: $10.391 million; Cume: $326.6
6. Grown Ups 2 (Sony) Weekend: $8.100 million; Cume: $116.4 million
7. Turbo (Fox/DreamWorks) Weekend: $6.400 million; Cume: $69.4 million
8. Red 2 (Summit/Lionsgate) Weekend: $5.650 million; Cume: $45.1 million
9. The Heat (Fox) Weekend: $4.725 million; Cume: $145.5 million
10. Pacific Rim (Warner Bros.) Weekend: $4.570 million; Cume: $92.2 million