娱乐英语新闻:"Shutter Island" succeeds in defending its reign of N America box office

Enjoying a solid mid-week business after a tremendous debut last weekend, the thriller from Paramount grossed 22.2 million dollars in ticket receipts, thus increased its two-week gross domestic take to 75.1 million dollars, the authority projected based on three-day weekend estimates.

Director Martin Scorsese (R) and cast member Leonardo DiCaprio arrive at the premiere of the movie "Shutter Island" in New York February 17, 2010.

The second and third spot at the box office were taken by two debutees. "Cop Out," a buddy comedy in the mold of "Beverly Hills Cop" and "48 Hours" that brings perennial action star Bruce Willis back to the law enforcement genre, was second with 18.6 million dollars. In the comedy released by Warner Bros, Willis, who teamed up with Tracy Morgan as veteran detectives are trying to retrieve a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card from a gangster.

Debuting in third place was horror story "The Crazies," a remake of George Remero's 1973 film about the military's attempts to contain a manmade combat virus that causes death and permanent insanity as it overtakes a small Iowa town. It opened with 16.5 million dollars. The horror slick was directed by Breck Eisner, son of Michael Eisner, the former CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

Actors Mark Ruffalo (L), Michelle Williams (2nd L), Ben Kingsley (3rd L) and Leonardo DiCaprio (R) join director Martin Scorsese as they arrive for the screening of the movie "Shutter Island" at the 60th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin February 13, 2010.

"Avitar," the phenomenal 3D sci-fi epic from James Cameron, slipped on spot from last weekend's placing, was fourth with 14 million dollars this weekend. It has grossed a total of 706.9 million dollars in theaters across Canada and the United States.

Fantasy adventure "Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief," a 20th Century Fox film, also went down from last weekend's fourth spot, fetching 9.8 million dollars, with three week total of 71 million dollars.