American Sniper topped the Japanese box office during its opening weekend, bringing in $2.8 million (?332 million) from 250,000 admissions at 333 screens for Warner Japan.
It knocked local reality TV show spin-off Terrace House: Closing Door off the top after the film’s strong bow last weekend.
Academy Award-winning Disney animation hit Big Hero 6 dropped one spot to third in its 10th weekend in release, taking $1.3 million (?157 million) on Saturday and Sunday, to give it a cumulative total so far of $72.19 million (?8.61 billion) in Japan from 6.76 million admissions.
Released locally as Baymax, the cartoon has given Disney a strong start to the year in Japan after a Frozen-driven blockbuster year in 2014. Big Hero 6, like Frozen, has also been doing big business in South Korea.
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Fifty Shades of Grey dropped out of the top 10 after a low-key bow in fifth last weekend.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fell one spot to fourth this weekend and has now taken $7.4 million (?880 million) from three weekends in Japanese theaters.
Mortdecai and Annie both dropped one spot to fifth and sixth, respectively, and have been performing relatively well in Japan, with the updated tale of the little orphan girl passing $10 million in its fifth weekend.
Josh Boone‘s The Fault in Our Stars opened in the 10th spot with $325,000 (?39 million) from 211 screens for Fox.
Twitter: @GavinJBlair
