Turtles stand out in a theater crowd

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles blasted out of their shells, topping the weekend box office with their first new movie in 14 years.

“TMNT,” the first computer-animated tale of the reptilian crime fighters, hauled in $25.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to Sunday’s studio estimates.

The Warner Bros. and Weinstein Co. film, produced for less than $40 million, knocked the blockbuster Spartan battle epic “300” into second place after two weekends atop the charts.

The political thriller “Shooter,” starring Mark Wahlberg, opened at No. 3 for Paramount Pictures in a crowded weekend at the multiplexes. Seventeen movies opened over the weekend, including half a dozen at 1,000 or more theaters.

“What’s surprising is how broadly the Turtles are playing,” said Dan Fellman, domestic distribution president at Warner Bros.

The audience for “TMNT” was estimated at 28% children under 12 years old, 22% older children, 28% parents and 22% adults without kids.

Nostalgia for the characters, who have also been featured in comic books, toys and on television since the 1980s, helped bring in adults including college students, Fellman said.

The movie, the fourth featuring the heroes, received mixed reviews from critics but scored high in the studio’s audience surveys, which bodes well for the film’s word of mouth: 93% rated it “excellent” or “very good.”

The three previous “Turtles” movies, released from 1990 to 1993, had a combined gross of more than $250 million domestically. “TMNT” notched the biggest opening in the series -- although not on an inflationadjusted basis.

Warner Bros., enjoying a strong first quarter, also had the weekend’s No. 2 film as “300” held up well in its third weekend.

Overseas, the battle epic is racking up huge business in its rollout.

“300” grossed an estimated $48 million from 33 territories to dominate the weekend abroad. It was tops in all 20 markets where it opened, including Britain, Spain, Russia and France.

“Shooter,” with Wahlberg as a marksman entangled in an assassination conspiracy, opened about as expected with $14.5 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales.

The thriller, directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), drew an audience that was about two-thirds over age 25, Paramount said, as “300” continued to attract plenty of young males.

The hit biker comedy “Wild Hogs,” released through Walt Disney Co.’s Buena Vista Pictures, held up well in fourth place, grossing $14.4 million in its fourth weekend.

New Line Cinema’s “The Last Mimzy,” directed by studio co-Chairman Robert Shaye, pulled in an estimated $10.2 million to place fifth, opening at the higher end of expectations.

The family-oriented science-fiction film, involving a toy rabbit with mysterious powers, benefited from two weekends of sneak previews and a heavy promotional campaign.

Three other new releases also made the top 10.

Fox Atomic’s horror picture “The Hills Have Eyes II” opened to $10 million.

Sony Pictures’ “Reign Over Me,” starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in a drama about the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, debuted at $8 million.

Sandler, one of the industry’s biggest comedy stars, has found less commercial success in his dramatic projects such as “Spanglish” and “Punch-Drunk Love.”

Still, his latest film, written and directed by Mike Binder, opened to generally positive reviews and could find a following.

Lions Gate’s “Pride,” an inspirational sports drama starring Terrence Howard as a swim coach who mentors a group of boys from the toughest area of Philadelphia, drummed up a modest $4 million.

On the art-house circuit, Fox Searchlight’s “The Namesake,” a drama about Indian immigrants in the U.S., stayed strong in the third weekend of its gradual rollout.

The picture, directed by Mira Nair, averaged almost $12,000 per theater in 117 engagements.

Industrywide, ticket sales were higher than a year ago for the fourth straight weekend. Year-to-date revenue is running 7% ahead of 2006.

“TMNT” will face stiff competition at the box office this weekend.

New releases are headed by the Will Ferrell ice skating comedy “Blades of Glory” and the animated family film “Meet the Robinsons,” which opens in 3-D at hundreds of theaters.

josh.friedman@latimes.com