Avatar toppled from top spot.
“Dear John” has proved to be more powerful than the epic story “Avatar.” This movie won the weekend in a big way, grossing an estimated $32.4 million and setting a record for the highest-grossing Superbowl Sunday frame in history. Movie “Avatar” feel to second place, dropping a still scant 25 percent to $23.6 million.
The movie, which was based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel, was financed entirely by Relativity Media, and distirbuted by Sony’s Screen Gems division.
Even though records were broken for the top film, the weekend still performed beneath last year at this time when “Gran Torino,” “Paul Blart Mall Cop,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Taken” dominated the frame.