LOS ANGELES — Chasing down the top spot at the box office after debuting at No. 2 last week, "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" took the lead in its second weekend.
The DreamWorks animated film about the time-traveling adventures of a genius dog and the human son he adopted earned $21.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The 3-D kiddie-jaunt features voices from "Modern Family" stars Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter.
"Our mid-week numbers were very strong indicating good and positive word of mouth," said Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution at Twentieth Century Fox. "If anything, this is exceeding (expectations). It's a combination of likable characters and it's a nostalgia play for those who are familiar with the show."
Mr. Peabody and Sherman first appeared in the 1950s and early 1960s on the show "Peabody's Improbable History," a segment within the animated television series "Rocky and His Friends" and later "The Bullwinkle Show."
"The family marketplace is giving every other genre a run for its money," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. "But the St. Patrick's Day effect could be at play here, where families had to exercise their options at the theater rather than the pub. That may have paid off for 'Mr. Peabody.'"
Warner Bros.' warrior drama "300: Rise of an Empire," the 3-D sequel to the original, 2007's "300," dropped to second place with $19.1 million after debuting at No. 1 last weekend. Though its opening haul ($45.1 million) pales in comparison to the original, which debuted with $70.9 million, "Rise of an Empire" has earned over $78 million over both weekends.
Starring "Breaking Bad" alum Aaron Paul, Disney's street racer thrill, "Need for Speed," based on the popular EA Entertainment video game, drove into third place with $17.8 million.
Tyler Perry's "The Single Moms Club," starring Nia Long and Amy Smart, rounded out the top five, opening with $8.3 million.