Lorax beats Disney Mars epic

LOS ANGELES Dr. Seuss movie The Lorax stayed firmly planted at No. 1 on box office charts over the weekend, easily trumping the debut of Walt Disney Co.’s expensive sci-fi flick John Carter.

The animated Lorax notched its second win in a row, with $39.1 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales from Friday through Sunday, said studio estimates released on Sunday.

John Carter opened in second place, with $30.6 million — a low number for a hoped-for blockbuster. Although the 3-D space adventure grossed more than double that amount overseas, Disney is left with a big hole to fill just to break even. The film cost an estimated $250 million to produce, plus tens of millions more to market.

Comedy Project X, about three high-school kids who plan a party that spins out of control, pulled together $11.6 million domestically. That landed the movie in third place during its second weekend in theatres.

Horror flick Silent House had a quiet debut, pulling in $7 million and taking fourth place.

In fifth place, military drama Act of Valor brought in $7 million. The film has grossed $56.1 million after three weekends in theatres.

Comedy A Thousand Words, starring Eddie Murphy, found little to talk about, opening with $6.4 million domestically and finishing in sixth place.