‘The Fifth Element’ Lands in Top Box-Office Spot

“The Fifth Element,” starring Bruce Willis as a Brooklyn cabdriver who ends up trying to save the world, was the weekend’s top box-office attraction with an estimated $17.2 million.

The futuristic science-fiction yarn, which opened the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, appeared to earn nearly twice as much as No. 2 “Fathers’ Day,” the only other wide-release debut over the Mother’s Day weekend. The Robin Williams-Billy Crystal comedy was expected to take in $9 million, according to industry estimates.

Final weekend box-office figures were to be released today.

Overall box-office receipts were down from the year-ago Mother’s Day weekend, when “Twister” opened with $41 million.

The thriller “Breakdown,” starring Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan, slipped from first place to third with an estimated $7.6 million in receipts in its second week of release.

The Mike Myers spy parody, “Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery,” appeared to be fourth with a $7.1 million take, followed by the disaster movie “Volcano” with $4.2 million.

Jim Carrey’s “Liar Liar” earned an estimated $3.6 million for sixth place and an eight-week total of $156.4 million. The comedy “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” starring Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, was seventh with $2.8 million.

The horror movie “Anaconda” looked to be in No. 8 with $2.6 million, followed by “The Saint” with $1.6 million and “Murder at 1600” with $1.4 million.

The estimated Top 10 films from Friday through Sunday:

1. “The Fifth Element,” $17.2 million.

2. “Fathers’ Day,” $9 million.

3. “Breakdown,” $7.6 million.

4. “Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery,” $7.1 million.

5. “Volcano,” $4.2 million.

6. “Liar Liar,” $3.6 million.

7. “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” $2.8 million.

8. “Anaconda,” $2.6 million.

9. “The Saint,” $1.6 million.

10. “Murder at 1600,” $1.4 million.