Blue siblings: 'Smurfs' apes 'Avatar'

Not since "Avatar" includes a film won overseas boasting privileges for five consecutive days -- that's until "The Smurfs" maintained the B.O. crown because of its fifth straight sesh within the Sept. 9-11 frame, having a weekend gross of $14.8 million.Sony's live-action/toon hybrid presently has cumed an outstanding $322.two million worldwide.The performance assisted "Smurfs" fly past another family-specific film, 2008's "Wall-E" and situated it to pass through 2006's "Evening in the Museum." Though each of individuals films were original qualities, which generally have a harder time finding B.O. traction, "Smurfs" is approaching the collective total of both "Alvin and also the Chipmunks" payments ($363 million), in addition to "Yogi Bear" ($100 million)"Smurfs" has achieved positive results from the late-summer time berth, when couple of other major tentpoles bow day-and-date overseas.Last Century Fox's "Rise from the Planet from the Apes" provided some healthy competition for that little blue men, grossing just shy of $13 million over the past weekend, for any cume of $208.a million. Warner Bros.' "Final Destination 5" arrived third, with $11.3 million for that sesh. "Smurfs" got on a sluggish begin in Japan, amassing just $815,000 on 236 screens. The pic's sluggish bow in the Japanese B.O. reps a bit of an unexpected, since The new sony continues to be marketing the film heavily in Asia -- and scoring premium gold coin from greater three dimensional ticket prices.With imminent bows around australia and Italia, "Smurfs" could continue its overseas reign, though Universal's aggressive early launch of "Johnny British Reborn" in 15 areas might provide stiff competition. Major marketplaces for "Johnny British" include Australia and Russia pic's U.S. bow is placed for March. 28. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com