"High School Musical 3" remains atop N. American box office

Disney's song-and-dance film "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which opened last week as the biggest-grossing musical movie ever, remained atop the box office in North America this weekend, according to preliminary figures released Sunday.

Director of the movie Kenny Ortega (C) holds Manly 'Little Pickles' Ortega from the movie, as he poses with cast members Ashley Tisdale (L) and Zac Efron at the premiere of the movie "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" at Galen Center in Los Angeles Oct. 16, 2008.

The first big-screen version and third installment of the original made-for-television franchise by Disney Channel is expected to take in 15 million dollars over the three-day period, with 61.8 million dollars over two weeks in U.S. and Canadian theaters.

Meanwhile, HSM3 took in about 26 million dollars overseas this weekend, being No. 1 in each of its 26 international markets and with a foreign total of 85 million dollars since its release. It has grossed nearly 150 million dollars globally in just 10 years.

The Weinstein Company's comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" debuted in No. 2 with 10.7 million dollars. The R-rated film is about two cash-strapped roommates who try to make adult films to pay off their bills.

Cast member Vanessa Hudgens greets fans at the premiere of the movie "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" at Galen Center in Los Angeles Oct. 16, 2008. The movie opens in the U.S. on Oct. 24.

Last week's runner-up "Saw V" slipped to No. 3 with 10.1 million dollars over the weekend, while "Changeling" from Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood and actress Angelina Jolie, was in No. 4 with 9.4 million dollars as it expanded to wide release.

In "Changeling," which was based a legal case in 1920s Los Angeles, Jolie played a single mother who fights against the city's bureaucratic police department after her son disappears.

New release "The Haunting of Molly Hartley," a horror film from Freestyle Releasing, was in No. 5 with 6 million dollars over the Halloween weekend, which saw Hollywood's overall sales slumping as the holiday fell on Friday coincidentally this year.

The top-selling 12 movies took in about 75.17 million dollars collectively this weekend, down about 38 percent from the same period last year. It was the first "down" weekend for Hollywood after five "up" weekends.

"High School Musical 3" dances to top of worldwide weekend box office

Director of the movie Kenny Ortega (C) holds Manly 'Little Pickles' Ortega from the movie, as he poses with cast members Ashley Tisdale (L) and Zac Efron at the premiere of the movie "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" at Galen Center in Los Angeles October 16, 2008.

"High School Musical 3: SeniorYear" danced to the top of worldwide box office this weekend, as the Disney teenager film taking in 42 million U.S. dollars in North America and 40 million dollars overseas in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

The first big-screen adaptation of Disney's popular television movie series has racked up the best opening receipts for a movie musical ever in Hollywood's history, overpassing the ABBA-inspired "Mama Mia," which set the previous opening record for a musical with 27.8 million dollars in July.

Cast member Ashley Tisdale poses at the premiere of the movie "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" at Galen Center in Los Angeles October 16, 2008.

It also became the first global box office leader since the sixth Batman film "The Dark Knight" was released in July.

"High School Musical 3," which tells the story of students of a fictional New Mexico high school preparing for their graduation performance and attracts audience comprising mostly pre-teen girls and their families, opened in the United States and Canada this weekend simultaneously with 23 overseas markets, including Britain, Germany and Spain.

Meanwhile, Liongate's horror sequel "Saw V" opened in second place with 30.5 million dollars in North America in this pre-Halloween weekend. It was the first time that the franchise didn't make to the top of box office since the original "Saw" debuted No.3 in 2004.

Last week's box office leader, 20th Century Fox's video game adaptation "Max Payne" was in third place with 7.6 million dollars, followed by Disney animal comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and Warner Bros.' criminal drama "Pride and Glory," a new release, respectively with 6.9 million dollars and 6.3 million dollars.

Hollywood's weekend revenues soared with the combined performance of "High School Musical 3" and "Saw V," as the top-selling 12 movies took in 120.5 million dollars over the three-day period, up 41 percent from the same weekend a year ago.