Hancock Soars Above $100M On Holiday Weekend

[Josh]

Will Smith-led HANCOCK (Sony, vfx by Furious FX, Lidar Services, Sony Pictures Imageworks and X1fx) won the box office for the July 4 weekend, earning $103.88 million (actuals) in an extended six-day opening. The Friday-Sunday gross was $62.6M.

VARIETY pegs it as the third-biggest Fourth of July opener of all time after TRANSFORMERS ($155.4M in 2007) and SPIDER-MAN 2 ($152.3M in 2004). HANCOCK is Smith's eighth movie to open on top, as well as his fifth -- and most successful -- July 4 opening.

"The Will Smith business is a great business to be in. It's not just a matter of audiences loving him, but they love the characters he plays," said Sony president of domestic distribution Rory Bruer to VARIETY.

Disney-Pixar's WALL-E placed second with $32.51M and a two-week gross of $127.2M, dropping down from last week's big win.

WANTED (Universal, vfx by Hammerhead, Hydraulx, PacTitle, Hatch FX, CIS Hollywood, Framestore, Ulitka Studio and Tinsley Transfers) also dropped one place to third, earning $20.05M and $90.19M in two weeks out.

Warner Bros.' GET SMART fell to fourth with $11.109M, with $98.1 in three weeks in release. The Steve Carell-led action comedy's vfx were by AFX Studios, Cinema Production Services, Eden FX, Gentle Giant Studios, Intrigue, LOOK! Effects, Rising Sun Pictures and RotoFactory.

Fifth place went to Jack Black's KUNG FU PANDA (DreamWorks, vfx by PDI DreamWorks) with $7.32M for the weekend and $193.22M in five weeks.

Universal's THE INCREDIBLE HULK placed sixth with $4.899M. The film's vfx were by Gentle Giant Studios, Giant Studios, Hydraulx, Image Engine Design, Lidar Services, Lola Visual Effects, Rhythm and Hues and Soho VFX and earned $124.84M in four weeks out.

Holding onto seventh place and earning $3.77M was INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, with $306.43M in seven weeks. INDY 4's vfx were by ILM, Gentle Giant Studios and Stan Winston Studio.

Eighth place went to KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL (Picturehouse, vfx by Mr. X), expanding from a two-week soft release in five theaters and making $3.3M in the process, jumping 2,980 percent. The Abigail Breslin-led film has made $5.82M in three weeks.

SEX AND THE CITY (New Line, vfx by Big Film Design) stayed in ninth place and earned an additional $2.38M for a six-week cume of $144.89M.

Sony's YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (vfx by The Orphanage, Gentle Giant Studios, Lola Visual Effects and Stan Winston Studio also stayed put, placing tenth with $1.98M. It's made $94.77M in five weeks out.

Box office information from BoxOfficeMojo.com.