‘Date Night’ is kicking all types of ass at the box office

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Steve Carell and Tina Fey had a disputed win at the North American box office, according to studio estimates released on Sunday which showed their romantic comedy "Date Night" beating last weekend’s champion.

The sitcom actors’ romantic comedy "Date Night" earned $27.1 million during its first weekend, said its distributor 20th Century Fox.

"Clash of the Titans," which was in the No. 1 position last weekend, grossed $26.9 million, said Warner Bros. But the studio said it estimated a $26 million weekend for "Date Night." Two rival studios also gave the edge to "Clash," while another said the race was too close to call.

"It does seem a little bizarre that they squeezed it out," Warner Bros. domestic distribution president Dan Fellman said of Fox’s estimate for "Date Night." Fox declined to respond.

A clear winner will emerge on Monday when the studios release final data for the Friday-to-Sunday weekend.

Box office estimates are based on executives poring through the history books to research the trajectories of similarly themed films at the same of the year. The Sunday component is particularly open to revision since the studios release their three-day estimates early in the day.

Either way, the sales for both films were at the high end of industry forecasts. Pundits had predicted "Date Night" would open in the $23 million-$27 million range, with "Clash" seen earning about $25 million.