LOS ANGELES - Movie audiences are showing more appetite for Shrek than for sex over Memorial Day weekend.
DreamWorks Animation's sequel "Shrek Forever After" remained the No. 1 movie for a second weekend with $43.3 million from Friday to Sunday. The film raised its domestic total to $133.1 million.
That easily topped the Warner Bros. sequel "Sex and the City 2," which was No. 2 with a $32.1 million debut that came in far below the $56.8 million opening weekend of its predecessor two years ago. Along with a $14.2 million haul in its first day Thursday, "Sex and the City 2" has brought in $46.3 million.
Debuting at No. 3 with $30.2 million was Disney's action tale "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."
Even with bad reviews and a running time of nearly 2 1/2 hours for "Sex and the City 2," many in Hollywood had expected the sequel to open at No. 1.
But the fourth "Shrek" installment, itself opening far below the previous sequels, held up strongly in its second weekend. Family crowds continued to pack theaters for what is billed as the final big-screen tale featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas.
Women made up 90 percent of the audience for "Sex and the City 2," which reunites the stars of the HBO series -- Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon -- for an adventure in Abu Dhabi.
Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., estimated that "Sex and the City 2" will have taken in about $53 million in its first five days once Memorial Day receipts are counted.
The modest results for "Prince of Persia" leave its franchise potential in doubt. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose movies include the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, was aiming for similar franchise treatment for "Prince of Persia."
The usual weekend Top 10 list won't be tallied until box-office receipts from Memorial Day are in.
