IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Shop TODAY Beauty Awards are here! See all of our winners

'Transformers' conquers 'Horrible Bosses'

Big-budget action film "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" won the battle of the North American box office for the second straight week, churning up $47 million and easily beating two new comedies, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
/ Source: E! Online
By Joal Ryan

Jennifer Aniston's "Horrible Bosses" and Kevin James' "Zookeeper" weren't supposed to beat "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" at the weekend box office.

And they didn't.

But, surprisingly, one of the movies actually came out looking good.

Horrible Bosses scored a $28.1 million Friday-Sunday debut, the year's third-biggest for a comedy, behind The Hangover Part II and Aniston's and Adam Sandler's Just Go With It.

So, yes, Aniston is now officially back from last summer's "The Switch."

And, yes, Jason Bateman, who costarred with Aniston in "The Switch" and "Horrible Bosses," is now officially back from "Paul."

As for James' "Zookeeper"...

The talking-animal romantic-comedy bowed with $21 million, which doesn't sound so bad for a talking-animal romantic comedy, until you read the movie cost as much as $80 million.

Or, more than twice as much as "Horrible Bosses."

So, no, James is not officially back from last winter's "The Dilemma."

On the upside, polling data showed opening-weekend audiences liked "Zookeeper" more than critics did.

Which, considering the reviews, wasn't a high bar to clear.

Elsewhere, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" ruled for a second weekend, and became the No. 1 domestic hit of the year, breaking $260 million.

The robot sequel continues to be play stronger overseas, as is the way right now, with audiences in South Korea, Russia and more driving the film's worldwide total to more than $550 million, per Box Office Mojo.

Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" and Kristen Wiig's "Bridesmaids," meanwhile, exited the Top 10 after long, successful domestic runs of $38.7 million and $158.2 million, respectively.

For Allen, "Midnight in Paris" is his biggest box-office hit since forever, or 1986, if you prefer specifics, and "Hannah and Her Sisters."

For Wiig, "Bridesmaids" is her debut blockbuster. The film currently ranks as the year's seventh-biggest domestic hit.

Here's a complete look at the weekend's top-grossing films, per Friday-Sunday estimates as compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

  1. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," $47 million
  2. "Horrible Bosses," $28.1 million
  3. "Zookeeper," $21 million
  4. "Cars 2," $15.2 million
  5. "Bad Teacher," $9 million
  6. "Larry Crowne, $6.3 million
  7. "Super 8," $4.8 million
  8. "Monte Carlo," $3.8 million
  9. "Green Lantern," $3.1 million
  10. "Mr. Popper's Penguins," $2.9 million