Transformers: Age of Extinction has topped the North American box office and scored the biggest opening weekend of the year so far, reports BBC Online.
The fourth installment in Michael Bay’s franchise took $100m (£58.8m) despite generally poor reviews from critics.
It also added another $201.3m (£118.2m) from 37 international territories, including $90m (£52.9m) in China alone.The film stars Mark Wahlberg as a mechanic who helps the shape-shifting Autobots fight a new enemy.
Made for a reported $200m (£117.5m), Age of Extinction met industry predictions for its opening weekend. It topped Dark of the Moon, the third film in the series, which took in $97.9m (£57.5m) in its opening weekend in 2011, but failed to eclipse the $108.9m (£64m) debut of the second film, Revenge of the Fallen.
It is expected to secure a strong second week of release, coinciding with the 4 July US holiday weekend.
‘I think putting Mark Wahlberg front and centre accomplished what we wanted to do, and that’s re-energised the franchise,’ Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said.
‘He appeals to audiences, both critically and as an action star.’
The three previous Transformer outings starring Shia LeBeouf as a teenager who befriends robot Optimus Prime, generated nearly $2.7bn (£1.6bn) worldwide.
Elsewhere on the chart, 22 Jump Street held firm at number two with $15.4m (£9m), with animation How To Train Your Dragon 2 at three with $13.1m (£7.7m) in box office takings.
Last week’s chart topper, Kevin Hart comedy Think Like a Man Too, fell to four with $10.4m (£6.1m).
Maleficent – Disney’s take on Sleeping Beauty starring Angelina Jolie – was at five with $8.2m (£4.8m), bringing its total domestic US gross to more than $201m (£118m) and its international haul to $586m (£344m).
-With New Age input
