‘Lego Movie’ tops box-office charts for third straight weekend

“The Lego Movie” is still snap-and-pop connecting with audiences.

As expected, the blockbuster hit comedy, based on the popular toy, topped the box-office charts for a third straight weekend, blowing away newcomers “3 Days to Kill” and “Pompeii.”

The animated “Lego Movie,” from Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures, grossed $31.5 million this weekend through Sunday, according to studio estimates.

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Co-written and co-directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, “The Lego Movie” stars Chris Pratt as a Lego-like construction worker. Before this weekend, it had racked up a domestic total of about $150 million and had surpassed the $200-million mark in global ticket sales, including the U.S. and Canada.

Relativity Media’s action-thriller “3 Days to Kill,” starring Kevin Costner as a spy on one last mission before ditching the high-octane life in order to repair relations with his estranged wife and daughter, performed as expected. It opened wide in North America on Friday, grossing an estimated $12.3 million through Sunday, giving it the No. 2 spot in the North American box office, the studio said.

Directed by McG, who helmed “This Means War” and “Terminator Salvation,” “3 Days to Kill” doesn’t look as if it will repeat the success of the hit “Taken” series, which was also produced by Europacorp. Still, “3 Days” was made for $28 million -- a “responsible budget,” according to the studio, which says it was pleased with the film’s opening.

The special effects-heavy “Pompeii,” directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (“Resident Evil” and “Alien Vs. Predator”), came in third this weekend, grossing an estimated $10 million. The action-romance movie had a hefty production budget of $80 million.

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Starring Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss and Emily Browning, “Pompeii” was produced by Constantin Film and Impact Pictures, with financing -- of about $80 million -- from Constantin and FilmDistrict. It is being distributed from Sony Pictures.

“RoboCop,” from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures, came in fourth. It grossed an estimated $9.4 million.

George Clooney’s WWII action-drama “The Monuments Men” was fifth, grossing an estimated $8.1 million. That’s down 48% from last weekend, which was its second week in wide release.

The romantic comedy “About Last Night,” from Screen Gems, came in sixth. It grossed an estimated $7.4 million through Sunday, its second weekend out. That’s down 71% from last weekend, which included Valentine’s Day.

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Twitter: @debvankin