Hoo-boy, people did not want to see Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.  The box office prospects for the follow-up were already looking pretty dim following dismal reviews and lack of general interest, but few would have guessed that directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s stylized sequel would only make $6.4 million for the entire weekend—for the entire weekend!  That’s down 78% from the first film’s opening weekend, and puts the film at No. 8 on the box office chart, as Marvel Studios’ highly successful Guardians of the Galaxy reclaimed the top spot for the first time since its opening weekend.  The film was usurped by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in its second weekend, but pulled in an impressive $17.6 million over the last three days for a domestic total of $251.9 million.  Guardians is now on track to best Captain America: The Winter Soldier as the highest grossing film of the year, stateside.

Hit the jump for the full Top 10 and analysis.

if-i-stay-chloe-moretz-jamie-blackley-5

The YA adaptation If I Stay had a strong first day, but suffered a pretty steep drop on Friday and Saturday.  Nevertheless, the Chloe Grace Moretz-fronted drama debuted with a respectable $16.3 million over the weekend, settling into the No. 3 spot.  The weekend’s other new release, the faith-based football drama When the Game Stands Tall, earned a solid $9 million over the weekend and placed fifth overall.

Hurt by piracy and overall franchise fatigue, The Expendables 3 fell 58% in its second weekend to $6.6 million, bringing its domestic total to just $27.5 million.  The Giver also suffered in weekend two, dropping 45% to $6.7 million and a total of $24.1 million.

But Guardians of the Galaxy is back on top after two weekends in second place, earning a very solid $17.6 million and bringing its worldwide total to $489.4 million.  The pic has great legs and has enjoyed plenty of repeat business since it opened earlier this month.

Check out the full Top 10 below.

Title

Weekend

Total

1

Guardians of the Galaxy

$17,631,000

$251,884,000

2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

$16,800,000

$145,610,000

3

If I Stay

$16,355,000

$16,355,000

4

Let’s Be Cops

$11,000,000

$45,246,000

5

When the Game Stands Tall

$9,000,000

$9,000,000

6

The Giver

$6,730,000

$24,101,000

7

The Expendables 3

$6,600,000

$27,519,000

8

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

$6,477,000

$6,477,000

9

The Hundred-Foot Journey

$5,562,000

$32,750,000

10

Into the Storm

$3,800,000

$38,301,000

guardians-of-the-galaxy-2-star-lord-drax
Image via Marvel

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Reclaims Box Office Throne