'Ride Along' cruises again with $21.2 million

This image released by Lionsgate shows Aaron Eckhart in a scene from the film, "I, Frankenstein." The PG-13 monster thriller "I, Frankenstein" will attempt to capitalize on a football-free weekend and try to unseat box-office leader "Ride Along," the Kevin Hart comedy. (AP Photo/Lionsgate, Ben King)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ice Cube, left, and Kevin Hart in a scene from 'Ride Along.'

NEW YORK — The Kevin Hart comedy Ride Along continued to speed through a typically quiet box-office frame, while the monster thriller I, Frankenstein couldn’t be roused from the dead.

Universal’s buddy cop comedy Ride Along, co-starring Ice Cube, cruised to the top of the box office again, taking in $21.2 million in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The film set a January debut record, with $48.6 million over the three-day holiday weekend.

For the second weekend in a row, Universal claimed no. 1 and no. 2 at the box office, with the Afghanistan war film Lone Survivor earning $12.6 million in its fifth week. With a cumulative total of $93.6 million, the relatively inexpensive Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg, will soon cross the $100 million mark.

But I, Frankenstein had a sizable budget estimated at $65 million, yet opened with just $8.3 million. Starring a beefed-up Arron Eckhart as Mary Shelley’s famous monster in a modern-day setting, the 3-D film wasn’t screened for critics and came into the weekend with little buzz. Lakeshore Entertainment financed the film, which was distributed by Lionsgate.

Two family films trailed Ride Along and Lone Survivor. The animated squirrel comedy The Nut Job made $12.3 million in its second week for Open Road Films. Disney’s juggernaut Frozen added $9 million for a 10-week domestic total of $347.8 million.

Several Oscar candidates sought to capitalize on their recent best-picture nominations. Expanding by a few hundred theaters were Dallas Buyers Club ($2 million, $20.4 million total) 12 Years a Slave, ($2 million, $45.5 million total) Gravity ($2 million, $261.2 million total), Philomena, ($1 million, $25.8 million total) and Nebraska ($1.4 million, $11.6 million total). Also adding theaters was August: Osage County, which earned $5 million, bringing its cumulative haul to $26.5 million.

Hollywood will largely cede next weekend to the Super Bowl, except for new releases Labor Day, starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, and That Awkward Moment, with Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Tuesday.

1. Ride Along, $21.2 million.

2. Lone Survivor, $12.6 million.

3. The Nut Job, $12.3 million.

4. Frozen, $9 million.

5. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, $8.8 million.

6. I, Frankenstein, $8.3 million.

7. American Hustle, $7.1 million.

8. August: Osage County, $5 million.

9. The Wolf of Wall Street, $5 million.

10. Devil’s Due, $2.8 million.