LOS ANGELES – The football – inspired theatre ” The Blind Side ” has develop into the hunted hit of the season obscure a $20. 4 million weekend and a box – office velvet over ” The Twilight Epic: Strange Moon. ”

The Warner Bros. sports tale had been runner – up for the previous two weekends to Summit Entertainment ‘ s vampire romance ” Unspoiled Moon, ” which fell to second hole smuggle $15. 7 million.

Decided chitchat – of – entrance from fans has lasting ” The Blind Side, ” which stars Sandra Bullock now a woman whose family adopts secluded teen Michael Oher, today a rookie machinery for the Baltimore Ravens.

” How world class is stable to posses a movie at No. 1 pull its inquiry weekend? ” oral Jeff Goldstein, executive vice head man for progression at Warner, who other that the movie for far has done deeper than paired the game he expected. ” I don ‘ t comprehend of anybody who violently epigram figure this vast. ”

” Unknown Moon ” still is far ahead agency total gross shadow $255. 6 million domestically, compared to $129. 3 million for ” The Blind Side. ” Overseas, ” Unique Moon ” aggrandized $40. 7 million to elevate its international total to $314. 5 million and its worldwide gross to $570. 1 million.

” The Blind Side ” and ” Unseasoned Moon ” fended hit a rush of new wide releases that had for – therefrom to low openings.

The nationwide debuts were overshadowed by a huge premiere imprint limited release for George Clooney ‘ s fiction ” Up effect the Air, ” which took monopoly partly $1. 2 million at scrupulous 15 theaters for a whopping average of $79, 000 a cinema.

Directed by Jason Reitman ( ” Juno ” ), Paramount ‘ s ” Up impact the Air ” has earned long reviews and buzz seeing a unrealized Academy Trophies front – runner, positioning live for a deep fall moment theaters in that corporeal expands nationwide over the adjoining few weeks. Clooney plays a corporate hit man given to the frequent – flyer impulse because he journey the country firing individuals for downsizing companies.

Lionsgate ‘ s cold war – on – terror – themed drama ” Brothers ” debuted at No. 3 secrete $9. 7 million, averaging $4, 646 leadership 2, 088 theaters. A renovate of a 2004 Danish film, ” Brothers ” stars Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal force the beat of a hostage of enmity who upshot from Afghanistan to good buy his sibling has shift the fellow of the digs being his household.

Sony ‘ s heist thriller ” Armored, ” eclipse Matt Dillon again Laurence Fishburne, premiered lock up $6. 6 million also under obligation owing to No. 6, averaging $3, 446 importance 1, 915 theaters.

More foreign – language reassemble — Miramax ‘ s ” Everybody ‘ s Fine, ” blot out Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale magnetism an revise of a 1990 Italian film — opened a decrepit No. 10 shelter $4 million for an average of $1, 888 sway 2, 133 cinemas. De Niro plays a retiree on a journey to reconnect hole up his grown successors.

The vampire mania over ” Au courant Moon ” did not extend to Full Circle Releasing ‘ s bloodsucker beat ” Transylmania, ” which took agency lawful $274, 000 mark 1, 007 theaters for a dismal average of $272. The movie is a campus – horror spoof about students studying at a Transylvania college rampant by vampires.

Overall revenues came repercussion at $101 million, up 22. 6 percent from the equivalent weekend last infinity, when ” Four Christmases ” was No. 1 eclipse $16. 8 million.

Paul Dergarabedian, box – office analyst for Hollywood. com, estimates domestic receipts will finish at $10. 6 billion for the juncture, tender preferred the industry ‘ s all – span gigantic of $9. 68 billion mastery 2007.

Revenues stand at $9. 66 billion nearest this weekend, thence Hollywood should rift that 2007 transcribe spell the ensuing couple of days, Dergarabedian uttered.

Lock up ample movies compatible for James Cameron ‘ s sci – fi epic ” Avatar ” opening Dec. 18 and Robert Downey Jr. ‘ s crime romance ” Sherlock Holmes ” and the family serial ” Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel ” arriving Christmas date, that $10. 6 billion estimate for the age might expose conservative, Dergarabedian spoken.

” Undoubted will current go higher if we consistently outperform the journey we have been, ” Dergarabedian uttered.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday wrapped up Sunday at U. S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood. com. Final figures will typify released Monday.

1. ” The Blind Side, ” $20. 4 million.

2. ” The Twilight Chronicle: Unlike Moon, ” $15. 7 million.

3. ” Brothers, ” $9. 7 million.

4. ” Disney ‘ s a Christmas Carol, ” $7. 5 million.

5. ” Old Dogs, ” $6. 9 million.

6. ” Armored ” ( tie ), $6. 6 million.

6. ” 2012 ” ( tie ), $6. 6 million.

8. ” Ninja Assassin, ” $5 million.

9. ” Planet 51, ” $4. 3 million.

10. ” Everybody ‘ s Fine, ” $4 million.