LOS ANGELES: Universal's R-rated film "Fifty Shades Of Grey" dropped over 70 percent on ticket sales in North America, but it still got enough to win the box office for the second time on the Oscar weekend.
"Fifty Shades Of Grey" was on track to sell an estimated $23.2 million in tickets. Despite sales plummeting by as much as 73 percent this weekend, it totalled $130.1 million in America and Canada, reported Xinhua Sunday.
Adapted from E.L. James' erotic novel, "Fifty Shades Of Grey" opened on the Valentine's Day weekend.
Starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, it was a huge hit overseas, pulling in $280.5 million in 58 regions at the international box office, with the total worldwide haul is $410.6 million.
"Kingsmen: The Secret Service" was in second place with 17.5 million dollars and 67.1 million dollars gross. It fell 52 percent on ticket sales compared with the opening weekend.
"Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge Out of Water" held on to third place, with an estimated $15.5 million this weekend. That movie has soaked up $125.2 million in sales, much of that contributed by family moviegoers.
Two new movies opened in the top five. Disney's "McFarland, USA" debuted with $11.3 million at 2,755 locations in North America, and Lionsgate film "The Duff" opened with $11 million.
With several big openings in the first two months, the overall box office so far in 2015 is up 10 percent from the same period last year.