‘Cars 3’ motors past ‘Wonder Woman’

Franchises continue to struggle; smaller films make splash.

LOS ANGELES — “Wonder Woman” fell to second place in its third weekend in theaters, but it’s still doing the heavy lifting for the otherwise lackluster summer box office.

While many worn-out franchises and franchise hopefuls continue to struggle to find a significant North American audience, smaller films such as the Tupac biopic “All Eyez on Me” and the shark thriller “47 Meters Down” were able to break through the clutter and make a splash this weekend.

As expected, the third installment in Disney and Pixar’s $1 billion “Cars” franchise easily took the top spot, but its estimated $53.5 million in earnings told a more complicated tale.

“Cars 3” had the worst opening in the series’ history — “Cars” opened to $60.1 million and “Cars 2” to $66.1 million — and it was one of the lowest debut totals for the Pixar brand.

It was also a disappointment compared with the top films over this weekend in 2015 and 2016, noted comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

A year ago, Pixar’s “Finding Dory” debuted with $135.1 million. In 2015, “Jurassic World” raked in $106.6 million in its second weekend.

“That kind of tells you the state of the industry,” Dergarabedian said.

The G-rated “Cars 3” got an “A” CinemaScore and generally positive reviews, but it will have to contend with “Despicable Me 3,” which opens in two weeks.

“Wonder Woman” was knocked down to second place with $40.8 million, bringing its domestic total to $274.6 million, while holdover “The Mummy” slid to fourth place in weekend two with $13.9 million.

“It’s been a challenging summer. I always say it comes down to product. Are the movies grabbing people?” Dergarabedian said. “Before ‘Wonder Woman,’ we were about 9 percent behind last summer. We’re now at about even, but the industry would like to see better than even.”

Amid the doldrums, lower-profile films were able to make a mark. The longtime-coming Tupac biopic “All Eyez on Me” earned $27.1 million to take third place on the charts.

Despite largely negative reviews, audiences gave the film an “A-” CinemaScore. Lionsgate’s Codeblack division marketed the pic, which cost Morgan Creek Productions around $40 million to produce. It opened to coincide with what would have been the late rapper’s 46th birthday on June 16.

“It’s always nice to exceed expectations,” said David Spitz, the president of theatrical distribution for Lionsgate.

The Mandy Moore shark thriller “47 Meters Down” also exceeded low expectations, earning $11.5 million for a fifth place start. A “C” CinemaScore, however, could mean the pic is dead in the water going forward.

The raunchy R-rated comedy “Rough Night” is also facing some rough waters ahead with its ghastly “C+” CinemaScore. The film, about a bachelorette party weekend gone wrong, starring Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon and Jillian Bell, took in a paltry $8.1 million against a $20 million production budget.

“Rough Night” opened in seventh place, behind “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” which brought in $8.5 million. The fifth “Pirates” film has earned $150.1 million domestically and $500 million internationally.

Next week, another fifth installment — “Transformers: The Last Knight” — opens. Dergarabedian expects it to follow suit with most of the summer’s franchises and earn the bulk of its money abroad.

“Sometimes the bigger and better box office stories are not at No. 1,” Dergarabedian said. “‘All Eyez on Me’ and ‘47 Meters Down’ are the kind of movies people are looking for. It bodes well for ‘Baby Driver’ and ‘Atomic Blonde.”’

Mom treated after leaving girl at airport

A woman accused of leaving her 4-year-old at Atlanta’s airport is receiving medical treatment.

Police said Miranda Hakimi Harvey drove nearly 700 miles before leaving her daughter with strangers and walking away. Investigators said they later found Harvey at an Athens hotel.

Authorities still haven’t said what brought Harvey to Atlanta or why the mother may have abandoned her daughter.

Her shocked family told Channel 2 Action News the allegations are out of character.

Harvey’s cousin, Amanda Hakimi, told the news station that Harvey grew up in Gwinnett County and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2010.

“She’s a wonderful mother,” Halimi said. “What happened was a surprise for everyone.”

Athens-Clarke County police spokesman Epifanio Rodriguez said a guest at the Graduate Hotel called 911 after recognizing Harvey.

Police asked Harvey basic questions, but she couldn’t answer them.

“At that point, they realized that she seemed to be disheveled, she seemed to be confused, gave her medical treatment as far as calling an ambulance,” Rodriguez told Channel 2.

Harvey may have been struggling with the recent death of her father, her family said, adding that she dedicated her life to children.

“Miranda actually helped disabled children,”Hakimi said. “She went to school for and helped disabled children.”

Atlanta police are working to determine if criminal charges will be filed against her. fatal, the Walton County sheriff said.

Daniel Tabor Reed, 38, allegedly shot his friend about 1 a.m. Saturday at a house in the Walton County Woodlake neighborhood, Sheriff Joe Chapman told Channel 2 Action News.

The name of the man killed has not been released, pending notification of next of kin.

Both men served in the Marines, Chapman said.

Chapman said the two friends were wrestling playfully, but their fighting escalated and “one then went at the other.”

Reed was being held in the Walton County jail.

Woman accused of posing as attorney

A North Carolina woman who pretended to be a lawyer at the Towns County Detention Center in April was arrested earlier this month, officials said.

Melissa Sue Arrendale, 46, of Hayesville, N.C., had been under investigation for months, the Towns County Sheriff ’s Office said.

Towns County is about 100 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Arrendale is facing felony charges of forgery, making false statements and writings, and one count of practicing law without a license.

Georgia woman dies after fall from Jeep

A 24-year-old Georgia woman died after falling from a Jeep Wrangler in Florida.

Brittanie Gail Evans of Douglas was riding in the front passenger seat of the Jeep late Saturday near Yulee in Nassau County, Florida, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

Yulee is about 20 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida.

The Jeep did not have any doors on it and “for an unknown reason,” Evans was leaning out of the vehicle when she fell onto the road, the report stated.

Evans was pronounced dead at a hospital.

PIXAR As expected, the third installment in Disney and Pixar’s $1 billion “Cars” franchise easily took the top spot.