Smurfs tie Cowboys and Aliens for US box office gold

In an unusual match-up, big-budget Hollywood action thriller Cowboys & Aliens shared the top box office spot this weekend with kid animation The Smurfs, industry estimates showed.

Cowboys, with reported production costs of around $163 million and starring Hollywood A-listers Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig as cowboys warding off an alien invasion in the 19th century Old West, pocketed $36.2 million for its opening weekend, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Those figures were on par with ticket receipts from the small blue Smurf creatures first created by a Belgian cartoonist more than 50 years ago, likely riding on a wave of family appeal. Some theatres offered to view the film in 3D.

In third spot, Captain America: The First Avenger, featuring the beloved comic book hero, took in $24.9 million during its second week of showing, ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2.

Distributor Warner Bros said that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 crossed the one billion dollar mark at the worldwide box office.

With $21.9 million domestically this weekend, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 climbed to a domestic total of $318.5 million. That tops the franchise’s previous best of $317.6 million for Sorcerer’s Stone.

Adult romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love raked in $19.3 million. A middle-aged father played by Steve Carell learns how to get women as he deals with the adulterous tendencies of his wife (Julianne Moore) for this new release.

Sixth place went to Friends with Benefits a romantic comedy starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. It sold $9.3 million in tickets during its second weekend in theatres.

Dark comedy Horrible Bosses netted $7.1 million, while “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” took $6 million.

Sony’s Zookeeper got $4.2 million, ahead of 10th place finisher Cars 2, with $2.3 million.