Transformers Dark of the Moon crushed their competition this weekend at the box office with an estimated take of $97.4 million shown across 9,300 screens at 4,013 locations, an Independence Day weekend record. If taking into account all showings since Tuesday night, the flick has grabbed an estimated $162,125,000.
Transformers grabbed $70.5 million and Transformers Revenge of the Fallen snagged $109 million in their first weekends.
However, this is not as high as the second film in the franchise, and Dark of the Moon is behind Revenge of the Fallen's overall gross at this point in time with $200.1 million.
Attendance is also down from the previous two films. Dark of the Moon actually saw traffic that estimated approximately ten percent less than Transformers.
This is most likely from the largely negative reaction to Revenge of the Fallen.
The gross is bolstered by the price of the 3D ticket, which accounted for 60% of the film's gross and is being shown at a record 2,789 locations.
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Rounding out the Top 5 this holiday weekend was the romantic comedy "Monte Carlo" starring Selena Gomez. It opened this weekend with an estimated take of $7.6 million.
The ten estimated top-producing motion pictures for the weekend, per data collected as of Sunday, July 3, 2011 include:
1. Transformers: Dark of the Moon: $97,400,000
2. Cars 2: $25,112,000
3. Bad Teacher: $14,100,000
4. Larry Crowne: $13,007,000
5. Monte Carlo: $7,600,000
6. Super 8: $7,500,000
7. Green Lantern: $6,270,000
8. Mr. Popper's Penguins: $5,100,000
9. Bridesmaids: $3,521,000
10. Midnight in Paris: $3,438,000
