Latest James Bond movie stays atop US box office, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo at # 8

LOS ANGELES: The new James Bond movie “Spectre” stayed atop the North American box office in its second week in theaters, bringing in $33.7 million, industry figures showed Monday. [caption id=“attachment_722837” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Daniel Craig[/caption] The star-studded spy thriller – with Daniel Craig as the dashing secret agent, Italian beauty Monica Bellucci and Oscar-winning Austrian star Christoph Waltz as the villain – has taken in $129 million in its first two weeks. It was among the most anticipated films of the year. Computer-animated 3D cartoon “The Peanuts Movie” – the first big screen rendering in 35 years for the beloved comic book characters – sold $24 million in tickets to stay in second place in its second week, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said. Its two-week total was $82.3 million. The comedy “Love the Coopers” – about a four-generation Christmas Eve family celebration that turns wacky and ultimately touching – debuted in third place with $8.3 million. Fourth place went to “The Martian,” which has generated serious Oscar buzz for lead actor Matt Damon, who plays a NASA scientist accidentally left on the Red Planet. “The Martian” solidified its blockbuster status with $6.7 million in weekend ticket sales, for a whopping $207.4 million in the seven weeks since its release “The 33,” about 33 Chilean miners trapped 700 meters underground for 69 days in 2010, debuted in fifth place with a take of $5.8 million. It stars Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche. The rest of the top 10 were: 6. “Goosebumps” ($4.6 million) 7. “Bridge of Spies” ($4.27 million) 8. “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” ($2.4 million) 9. “Hotel Transylvania 2” ($2.4 million) 10. “The Last Witch Hunter” ($1.48 million) AFP