Disney/Pixar’s sequel adds estimated $46.2m to stay number one; Fox’s The Heat debuts strongly with $40m.

Monsters University has retained top spot in the US thanks to an estimated $46.2m second weekend.

The animated sequel is now up to $171m domestically through Disney, but will face stiff competition for the top spot next week with the arrival of Universal’s Despicable Me 2.

In the battle of the new entries, Fox’s action-comedy The Heat came out on top with a strong $40m debut from its 3,181 sites.

Following Identity Thief’s $34.6m debut on its way to $134.5m, the result is further proof of Melissa McCarthy’s ability to sell a film, and ranks as director Paul Feig’s best US debut, ahead of Bridesmaids’ $26.2m opening bow, a film which also starred McCarthy.

It also marks Sandra Bullock’s best-ever US opening, topping the $34.1m debut of The Blind Side.

The results were less impressive for Sony’s White House Down, which recorded a $25.7m opening from its 3,222 sites to chart fourth.

That’s behind the $30.4m opening achieved by the similarly themed Olympus Has Fallen, and only ranks as the sixth best opening for director Roland Emmerich.

Paramount’s World War Z dropped a respectable 55% in its second weekend to scare up $29.8m for $123.7m to date, while Warner Bros’ Superman reboot Man of Steel is up to $248.7m after a $20.8m third weekend.

Having crossed the $100m barrier on Friday [June 28], Lionsgate’s Now You See Me has taken $104.7m to date.

Sony Pictures Classics opened Pedro Almodovar’s latest I’m So Excited in five sites, resulting in a $103,000 debut with a $20,600 average, while Cinema Guild’s Museum Hours took $29,400 from two sites.

Other debuts included Drafthouse’s A Band Called Death ($28,500 from 13), Roadside’s Redemption, AKA Hummingbird, ($18,200 from 19) and IFC’s Byzantium ($18,000 from six).

Next week’s wide releases are Universal’s Despicable Me 2 and Disney’s The Lone Ranger. Fox Searchlight’s The Way, Way Back and IFC’s The Look of Love are among the films receiving a limited release.

Estimated Top 10 North America Jun 28-30 2013
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (1) Monsters University (Buena Vista/Pixar) WDSMPI $46.2m $171m
2 (-) The Heat (Fox) Fox Int’l $40m
3 (2) World War Z (Paramount) PPI $29.8m $123.7m
4 (-) White House Down (Sony) SPRI $25.7m
5 (3) Man of Steel (Warner Bros) WBPI $20.8m $248.7m
6 (4) This is the End (Sony) SPRI $8.7m $74.7m
7 (5) Now You See Me (Lionsgate-Summit) Lionsgate Int’l $5.5m $104.7m
8 (6) Fast & Furious 6 (Universal) UPI $2.4m $233.3m
9 (8) Star Trek Into Darkness (Paramount) PPI $2m $220.5m
10 (9) The Internship (Fox) Fox Int’l $1.4m $41.7m