Total domination: ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ scores at US box office

LOS ANGELES, USA – Steamy bondage romp Fifty Shades of Grey dominated at the North American box office this weekend, whipping the competition to secure top spot, industry estimates showed Sunday February 15.

The erotic tale of billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and his sadomasochistic relationship with college graduate Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) pulled in $81.7 million – more than 40% of all ticket sales % over its opening weekend, according to preliminary numbers from box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. (Fifty Shades of Grey’: The best, worst, and sexiest bits )

Another Valentine’s Day weekend opener was British spy-comedy flick Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson, which debuted in second place with a haul of $35.6 million. 

The performance of the two newcomers was easily enough to shove last week’s top film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, down to third place, with $30.5 million in sales. 

American Sniper, relegated to fourth place, had $16.4 million in ticket sales.

Since its release, the highly acclaimed Sniper has raked in $304 million and a half-dozen Oscar nominations, including a best actor nod for Bradley Cooper in the title role.

Jupiter Ascending sold the fifth most tickets, with a $9.4 million in its second weekend.

The fantasy flick pairs Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum and is a first foray into the genre for sibling directors Lana and Andy Wachowski since their work on The Matrix series.

Seventh Son, a 3-D fantasy-action film starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore, was in sixth place, earning $4.2 million.

Paddington, a big-screen adaptation of the family classic about a bear lost in the big city, earned $4.1 million for the seventh spot.

Comedy The Wedding Ringer took $3.8 million in eighth place, followed by The Imitation Game, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as codebreaking genius Alan Turing, with $3.5 million in ninth.

Rounding out the top 10 was Black or White, a racially charged drama starring Kevin Costner as a widowed grandfather battling to retain custody of his mixed-race granddaughter, with $3.3 million. – Rappler.com

 More 50 Shades of Grey on Rappler:

• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’: The best, worst, and sexiest bits 
• What critics are saying about ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ 
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Review: Tepid drama 
• Erotic ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ starts worldwide rollout
• Feast your eyes on ‘The Dom,’ a dessert inspired by ‘Fifty Shades’
• WATCH: ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Lego parody
• Watch Christian show Ana the Red Room in new ‘Fifty Shades’ full clip
• David Gandy turned down role of Christian in ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
• ‘Fifty Shades of Gray’ gets R-18 rating in the Philippines
• New ‘Fifty Shades’ full scene: Christian Grey doesn’t do romance
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ full scene: Encounter at the hardware store
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ full scene: Christian’s offer for Ana
• Christian Grey in new ‘Fifty Shades’ TV spot: ‘Where have you been?’
• WATCH: Ellen DeGeneres stars in her own funny ‘Fifty Shades’ trailer
• Meet Christian Grey’s family and Kate: New ‘Fifty Shades’ posters revealed
• WATCH: New ‘Fifty Shades’ trailer: ‘Why are you trying to change me?’
• WATCH: A glimpse of Christian Grey’s closet in new ‘Fifty Shades’ teaser
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ stars on the ‘task’ of filming steamy scenes
• WATCH: First ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ trailer released
• Charlie Hunnam: Leaving ‘Fifty Shades’ was ‘heartbreaking’
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ movie unveils new Christian Grey photo