newsmakers

newsmakers

‘Avengers’ keeps lead for second weekend

LOS ANGELES

“The Avengers” is taking a page out of Superman’s comic book — flying faster than a speeding bullet to the billion-dollar mark at the box office.

The superhero blockbuster took in $103.2 million to lead for a second-straight weekend, raising its domestic total to $373.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

With $95.4 million more overseas, “The Avengers” lifted its international receipts to $628.9 million and a worldwide haul of just over $1 billion only 19 days after it began rolling out in some markets.

“You never think that it can happen this quickly,” said Dave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney, whose Marvel Studios unit produced the ensemble film after a long buildup in its solo superhero outings. “You hope you can get to this day, and the fact that it is happening this early is a testament to a lot of work that went in on the Marvel side over the last six years to get us to a place where people wanted to see the ‘Avengers’ assemble.”

“The Avengers” easily fended off Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s vampire romp “Dark Shadows,” which had a so-so domestic start of $28.8 million to finish a distant No. 2.

That’s far below such past Depp-Burton collaborations as “Alice in Wonderland,” which opened with $116.1 million, and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which debuted with $56.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released today:

1. “The Avengers,” $103.2 million ($95.4 million international).

2. “Dark Shadows,” $28.8 million ($36.7 million international).

3. “Think Like a Man,” $6.3 million.

4. “The Hunger Games,” $4.4 million ($2.4 million international).

5. “The Lucky One,” $4.1 million ($2.5 million international).

‘Duck’ Dunn, bass player, dies in Tokyo

NEW YORK

Donald “Duck” Dunn, the bassist who helped create the gritty Memphis soul sound at Stax Records in the 1960s as part of the legendary group Booker T. and the MGs and contributed to such classics as “In the Midnight Hour,” “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” died Sunday at 70.

Dunn, whose legacy as one of the most respected session musicians in the business also included work with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s Blues Brothers as well as with Levon Helm, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, died while on tour in Tokyo.

News of his death was posted on the Facebook site of his friend and fellow musician Steve Cropper, who was on the same tour. Cropper said Dunn died in his sleep.

He is survived by his wife, June; a son, Jeff; and a grandchild, Michael, said Michael Leahy, Dunn’s agent.

Associated Press