Two new releases were definitely on the map, but they did not land atop the Friday box office mountain.
That honor, for the third week in a row, belongs to “Furious 7.”
The reigning box office champion added $8.3 million to its running total. Down 56% from last Friday’s haul, the total was enough to give “Furious 7” the lead.
Critically panned new release “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” earned second place on the strength of $7.3 million opening day receipts. The film’s opening Friday performance trails that of 2009 predecessor “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” by 26%.
Fellow newcomer “Unfriended” earned third place on the strength of $6.8 million. Holdover “Home” (#4, $2.4 million) and second-week release “The Longest Ride” (#5, $2.4 million) also landed in Friday’s top five.
“Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s latest Earth Day release, grabbed #6 with $1.6 million.