(EW.com) — Aliens went one-for-two this weekend, as “Battle: Los Angeles” led the box office with an estimated $36 million, while the animated “Mars Needs Moms” was hardly noticed at all. Sony’s alien-invasion action film “Battle: Los Angeles,” which follows a pivotal Marine platoon led by Aaron Eckhart, slightly exceeded industry forecasts.
The $70 million movie drew a male-heavy crowd, with men representing 68% of the audience. The PG-13 film’s ticket-buyers were also older than one might expect, as 55% were over the age of 25.
So far this year, Hollywood has had a difficult time attracting teenagers and young adults, but that should change once the tentpole-heavy summer season begins in May. Overall, CinemaScore audiences rated “Battle” a “B.”
The frame’s other new alien picture, Disney’s 3-D animated “Mars Needs Moms,” will unfortunately be remembered as one of the year’s biggest flops. The motion-capture film, which was produced by Robert Zemeckis and cost a reported $150 million, captured only $6.8 million — enough for fifth place. Families made up 85% of the PG film’s audience, and CinemaScore moviegoers gave it a “B” rating.
While 3-D screenings contributed to 68% of the movie’s opening gross, those surcharges weren’t enough to salvage the expensive production, which suffered from an awkward title, a muddy visual palette, and the fact that the Johnny Depp-starring “Rango” was released just a week ago.
Speaking of “Rango,” the animated Western snatched second place, dropping a modest 40% for $23.1 million. That brings the PG film’s two-week cumulative gross to $68.7 million.
In third was “Red Riding Hood,” a reinterpretation of the classic fairy tale helmed by “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke. The PG-13 horror film, which cost about $40 million to produce, took a $14.1 million bite out of the box office. Women made up 64% of the audience, and CinemaScore moviegoers handed the werewolf flick a mediocre “B-” grade.
Fourth place went to the Matt Damon romantic thriller “The Adjustment Bureau,” which fell 46% for $11.5 million.
In limited release, “Jane Eyre” collected $182,000 from four locations for a per-theater average of $45,500 — the year’s largest so far. The well-reviewed drama, starring “Alice in Wonderland’s” Mia Wasikowska, will expand to nine additional markets next week.
And the mob drama “Kill the Irishman,” starring Ray Stevenson and Christopher Walken, whacked $155,000 from five theaters.
Check back next week as Hollywood offers another alien in the form of the R-rated comedy “Paul,” as well as the Bradley Cooper thriller “Limitless” and the Matthew McConaughey crime drama “The Lincoln Lawyer.”
1. “Battle: Los Angeles” — $36.0 mil
2. “Rango” — $23.1 mil
3. “Red Riding Hood” — $14.1 mil
4. “The Adjustment Bureau” — $11.5 mil
5. “Mars Needs Moms” — $6.8 mil