"Hellboy 2" hits box office in U.S.

"Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" captured the nation's box office crown on Sunday, according to the Encino analysis firm Media By Numbers.

Actor Ron Perlman poses for photographers during the premiere of the movie 'Hellboy II The Golden Army' in Los Angeles, California, June 28, 2008.

This came against a tepid movie-going environment that saw movie receipts drop more than 15 percent over last year.

The Universal action/adventure/thriller is on track to sell an estimated 35.9 million dollars in movie tickets this weekend, according to Media By Numbers.

Over this weekend, "Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3-D" also premiered, and opened in third place, with 20.6 million dollars in sales anticipated for the Warner Bros. release.

Sandwiched in between the premieres was Sony/Columbia's Will Smith vehicle, "Hancock," with 33 million dollars in sales predicted this weekend and 165 million dollars in sales estimated over two weeks.

Media By Numbers said this weekend's estimated gross of 153 million dollars in total receipts movies is a big drop from last year's 180 million dollars comparable weekend figure. But last year, "Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix" debuted and possibly skewed that figure.

Rounding out the top ten are:

-- "Wall-E," Disney, 18.5 million dollars this weekend, 162.7 million over three weeks;

-- "Wanted," Universal, 11.6 million this weekend, 112 million over three weeks;

-- "Get Smart," Warner Bros., 7 million this weekend, 111.5 million over four weeks;

-- "Meet Dave," Fox, debuting this weekend with 5.3 million;

-- "Kung Fu Panda," Paramount, 4.3 million this weekend, 202 million over six weeks;

-- "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl," Picturehouse, 2.5 million this weekend, 11 million over four weeks; and

-- "Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull," Paramount, 2.2 million this weekend, 310.5 million over eight weeks.

Actor Ron Perlman is shown in this undated publicity photo released to Reuters April 23, 2008 in a scene from Universal Studios upcoming film 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army'.

Ronald Perlman (L) and Selma Blair pose for photographers during the presentation of the film Hellboy II in Mexico City, on July 03, 2008.