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Marigold Hotel tops Oz box office

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has topped the Australian box office in its opening weekend.

It might be a mouthful to say, but the British comedy-drama starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith proved popular to cinema fans, earning $4,079,656 in its first weekend to knock off raunchy drama Fifty Shades of Grey ($1,954,810) from the top spot.

Spy action thriller Kingsman: The Secret Service continues to grip Australian audiences, taking in $1,562,912 to edge out sci-fi flick Jupiter Ascending ($1,073,434) which dropped to fourth place in just its second weekend.

Another new release made less of a splash. Teen sci-fi thriller Project Almanac ($701,077) was fifth in its opening weekend ahead of the Clint Eastwood-directed American Sniper ($539,791), which was nominated for six Oscars but collected just one for Best Sound Editing.

The Theory Of Everything, which landed Eddie Redmayne Best Actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking, was seventh after taking $330,716, while Australian film Paper Planes which continues to fly was eighth ($236,498).

Birdman ($204,11) returned to the top 10 after claiming Best Picture at the Oscars and Still Alice ($186,46) rose too after Julianne Moore won Best Actress.

TOP 10 FILMS FOR THE WEEKEND OF FEB 26 - MARCH 1

1. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Fox) - $4,079,656

2. Fifty Shades of Grey (Universal) - $1,954,810

3. Kingsman: The Secret Service (Fox) - $1,562,912

4. Jupiter Ascending (Roadshow) - $1,073,434

5. Project Almanac (Paramount) - $701,077

6. American Sniper (Roadshow) - $539,791

7. The Theory of Everything (Universal) - $330,716

8. Paper Planes (Roadshow) - $236,498

9. Birdman (Fox) - $204,117

10. Still Alice (Icon) - $186,464