Real Steel' dukes its way to top of box office

LOS ANGELES: Disney's boxing robots of "Real Steel" duked their way to the top of the North American box office in their debut weekend, industry data showed Monday.

The Disney kids' flick, starring Hugh Jackman, took in a $27.3 million haul from Friday to Sunday, industry monitor Exhibitor Relations said.

Also in its premiere weekend "The Ides of March" scored a healthy open, surging to the number two spot with $10.5 million total.

"Dolphin Tale," a feel-good family film about a boy who helps a dolphin get a prosthetic tail, dropped out of the top spot to third with $9.1 million, and $49 million to date.

"Moneyball," a sports drama starring Brad Pitt as a baseball coach, was in the number four spot, taking in $7.5 million.

In fifth place was "50/50", a comedy about a 27-year-old man's battle against cancer, which earned $5.6 million.

"Courageous," a police drama, brought in $4.9 million in sixth place for the weekend.

"Lion King - 3D" still raked in $4.6 million in the seventh spot. It has earned $86 million so far in re-release.

"Dream House," a thriller starring real-life couple Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, was in the eighth spot with $4.5 million.

"What's Your Number?," the Anna Faris comedy about her search among her exes for the love of her life, was in ninth place with $3.1 million.

Thriller "Contagion," about a lethal virus that goes global, was in the 10th spot with $2.9 million in earnings. (AFP)