‘Lego Batman’ stays No. 1, conquers ‘The Great Wall’

“The Great Wall” was a hit in China. In North America, it was a dud.

The most expensive film ever made in China with a budget of $150 million, “The Great Wall” was intended to prove that the world’s No. 2 movie marketplace could produce Hollywood-size blockbusters. Though it ran up $171 million in ticket sales in China, “The Great Wall” pulled in $18.1 million in its North American debut over Presidents Day weekend.

That was good enough for third place, falling behind last weekend’s top two films, “The Lego Batman” and “Fifty Shades Darker.” The Warner Bros. animated release easily led the box office again with $34.2 million in its second week, sliding only 35 percent. Universal’s “Fifty Shades Darker” sold $21 million in tickets in its second week.

Slammed by critics, “The Great Wall” didn’t measure up to its initial ambitions. It was produced by Legendary Entertainment, which has since been acquired by Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group. The film, directed by Zhang Yimou, originated with an idea by Legendary chief executive Thomas Tull.

But “The Great Wall” isn’t a bomb. It has made $244.6 million overseas and performed over the weekend in North America slightly better than some pundits expected.