‘Wimpy Kid’ TKOs ‘Sucker Punch’ at box office

LOS ANGELES – “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” the second screen adaptation from the popular kids book series, earned $24.4 million at the weekend box office, preliminary industry figures showed Sunday.

The original film, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” was released just last March, opening to $22.1 million and ultimately grossing $64 million in the United States.

Box office tracker Exhibitor Relations reported that second place went to “Sucker Punch,” an action fantasy flick about a group of young vixens busting out of an insane asylum, which debuted at $19 million dollars.

Last week’s box office winner “Limitless,” a sci-fi film starring Bradley Cooper as an author who taps his brain’s full potential after sampling a revolutionary new drug, fell to third with $15 million in sales.

Fourth place went to the Matthew McConaughey-starring drama “The Lincoln Lawyer” which grossed $11 million.

Paramount’s eccentric animated film “Rango,” with the voice talent of Johnny Depp in a tale about a chameleon who becomes sheriff to clean up the town of Dirt, was fifth with $9.8 million in ticket sales.

“Battle: Los Angeles” about a unit of alien-fighting US Marines, took sixth place with $7.6 million in tickets sold across North America.

Science fiction romp “Paul” took in $7.5 million for seventh place.

The gothic fairytale retelling “Red Riding Hood,” was eighth with $4.3 million in sales.

The ninth spot went “The Adjustment Bureau” with $4.2 million, while “Mars Needs Moms!” fell two places to take the number 10 spot, with $2.2 million.