‘Liar’ Defeats ‘Devil’s Own,’ Setting an Easter Record

“Liar Liar� held its No. 1 place at the box office against “The Devil’s Own� and an array of new comedies.

The Jim Carrey comedy had $24.2 million in ticket sales for the biggest Easter weekend gross ever, according to industry estimates Sunday.

“The Devil’s Own� was in second place with $14.3 million. In the film, Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford play an IRA gunrunner and an Irish American policeman whose lives become entangled. The movie opened last Wednesday to mediocre reviews, but was expected to gross a total of $18.1 million through Sunday, according to Exhibitor Relations Co.

“Selena,� about the slain tejano singing star, saw its audience take drop 52% but still did well enough for third place on earnings of $5.6 million.

Three new films also made the top 10 but their grosses were relatively tepid when compared with that of “Liar Liar,� which has accumulated $69.8 million in just two weeks after the best March opening for a film ever. Its per-screen average of $8,842 was thousands of dollars ahead of that for its nearest rival, “The Devil’s Own.�

“The Sixth Man,� a comedy about a college basketball team that gets ghostly help during the Final Four tournament, had $4.3 million in ticket sales to open in fifth place. “Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie� took TV’s martial arts teenagers into seventh place with $3.5 million. “B.A.P.S.� was ninth with $2.8 million. The Beverly Hills comedy is about two women conned into conning a wealthy old man.

The Tim Allen comedy “Jungle 2 Jungle� continued to do well in its fourth week, taking in $4.1 million for sixth place.

The reissued last chapter of the “Star Wars� trilogy and another film, which won multiple Oscars last week, also made the top 10 list.

“Return of the Jedi� was fourth with $4.5 million while “The English Patient,� which won best picture and nine other honors, was in eighth place with $3 million.

Howard Stern’s “Private Parts� slipped from fifth to 10th place with $2.5 million.

“Shine,� which won Geoffrey Rush the Academy Award for best actor, and “Sling Blade,� which won for best adapted screenplay, finished out of the top lineup. “Sling Blade� had $2.1 million and “Shine� grossed $1.3 million.