娱乐英语新闻:"G.I.Joe" takes command of N. American box office with big screen battle toys

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- In a bid to counterattack the negative comments and feelings from the commentators and views it has received for its "Transformer" series, the Paramount Pictures has prevailed in its battle for the crown of North American box office with "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," and an estimated 56.2 million U.S. dollars in ticket sales, preliminary figures released Sunday show.

    Adopted from Hasbro's G. I. Joe battle figure comics and playing into young viewers' love for them, the film features Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid as well as a group of international veteran actors, in a bid to change the unfavorable comment on Transformer series, its last project based on big toy lines.

    The film tells how an elite military unit pursues a notorious arms dealer and his cabal of assassins. To achieve its goal, the Paramount marketed the movie to conservative "Middle America" with showings in military bases and viral ads. Hollywood analysts view the film as a shot in Hollywood's arm during a lackluster midsummer movie season.

Brian Goldner, Hasbro's CEO, (2nd L) joins producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura (L), actress Rachel Nichols and director Stephen Sommers in front of a "Mole Pod" from the movie "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra", at Hasbro's Charity Premiere of the movie in Warwick, Rhode Island, August 3, 2009

Sony/Columbia's "Julie and Julia" was on track to sell an estimated 20.1 million dollars in tickets, and was effectively positioned as a counter marketing play. The film stars Meryl Streep as a celebrated chef living in Paris and how she deals with a New York blogger who wants to cook according to her book.

    Disney's 3D animation "G-Force" ranked No.3, grossed an estimated 9.8 million dollars this weekend, and 86.1 million dollars since its debut three weeks ago.

    Warner Bros' "Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment of the popular boy wizard movie franchise, was in fourth place with 8.9 million dollars this weekend, 273.8 million dollars over four weeks.

    Last week's number one in North American box office, Universal's "Funny People," slid to fifth place with 7.9 million dollars this weekend, amassing 40.4 million dollars over two weeks.