'Hop' keeps top spot as Brand pulls double duty

LOS ANGELES: British bad boy Russell Brand dominated the North American box office, with a starring turn in the top-earning "Hop," as well as in the remake of the 1980's classic "Arthur," the number two weekend film, industry estimates showed Sunday. "Hop," a partially animated Easter-themed romp, remained atop the box office for a second consecutive week, with a weekend gross of $21.7 million, bringing its two-week total to $68 million. Brand voices the character "E.B." in the film, the wayward son of the Easter Bunny. In "Arthur," which debuted in second place with $12.6 million, he plays the lovable but irresponsible billionaire Arthur Bach in a role originated by Dudley Moore in the 1981 hit. "Hanna," a thriller about a teenage assassin, pulled in an estimated $12.3 million for third place in its debut, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Saoirse Ronan stars as the 16-year-old girl raised by her widowed father (Eric Bana) in the wilds of North Finland. In fourth place was "Soul Surfer," starring AnnaSophia Robb as a churchgoing teenage surfer who returns to the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack. It's based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton. It earned $11.1 million. Horror flick "Insidious," in which a family finds itself living in a haunted house, picked up $9.7 million in fifth place. "Your Highness" debuted in sixth place, earning $9.5 million. The comedy stars Danny McBride, who was the munitions expert in "Tropic Thunder" (2008), and James Franco as as princes on a mission to save their land. It was directed by David Gordon Green ("Pineapple Express"). Jake Gyllenhaal's sci-fi thriller "Source Code" fell five spots to number seven, with $9 million in its second week. Gyllenhaal's character is part of a government experiment to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. "Limitless," in which Bradley Cooper plays an author who samples a revolutionary new drug, was eighth with $5.7 million. Rounding out the top 10 were "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," with $4.9 million, followed by Matthew McConaughey' drama "The Lincoln Lawyer," which grossed $4.6 million. (AFP)