Warner Bros’ ensemble romantic comedy Valentine’s Day led the pack as it opened top on an estimated $52.4m over three days leading into the Presidents’ Day holiday.

Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Garner are among the cast and dislodged Screen Gems’ Dear John from its number one berth.

Fox’s potential children’s franchise Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief launched in second on $31.1m and stars Logan Lerman and Uma Thurman.

Just behind in third was Universal’s effects laden horror tale The Wolfman on $30.6m. Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt star.

Overall the weekend’s films combined for $193m over the three-day portion of Presidents’ Day weekend. Last year’s films reached $188m over three days, rising to $220m over four.

Meanwhile Avatar ranked fourth on $22 to elevate its spectacular running total to $659.6m and he global take to roughly $2.4bn.

Fox Searchlight’s Crazy Heart starring the best actor Academy Award frontrunner Jeff Bridges expanded into 1,005 theatres in its ninth weekend, adding $4m for $16.5m.

Meanwhile Searchlight delivered the biggest Bollywood launch of all time at the US box office as it launched the Indian romance My Name Is Khan starring Bollywood icon Shahrukh Khan in 13th place on $1.9m from 120 theatres.

Next weekend’s wide release is Martin Scorsese’s period mystery Shutter Island, fresh from its world premiere in Berlin. Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson star.

Estimated Top 10 North America Feb 12-14 2010
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Valentine’s Day (Warner Bros) WBPI $52.4m –

2 (-) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Fox) Fox Int’l $31.1m –

3 (-) The Wolfman (Universal) UPI $30.6m –

4 (2) Avatar (Fox) Fox Int’l $22m $659.6m

5 (1) Dear John (Screen Gems) Lionsgate $15.3m $53.2m

6 (5) Tooth Fairy (Fox) Fox Int’l $5.6m $41.5m

7 (3) From Paris With Love (Lionsgate) EuropaCorp $4.7m $15.9m

8 (4) Edge Of Darkness (Warner Bros) GK Films $4.6m $36.1m

9 (8) Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight) SPRI $4m $16.5m

10 (6) When In Rome (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $3.4m $26m

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