The prospects for Warner Bros.’ dark fantasy Red Riding Hood were more difficult to judge. The film, starring Amanda Seyfried, was in a close race Friday for No. 2 with Paramount holdover Rango. Battle: Los Angeles' Easily Tops Friday Box Office Battle: Los Angeles got off to a great start on Friday, grossing at least $13.5 million to easily come in No. 1. The sci-fi action pic could make as much as $38 million for the weekend, one of the best starts of the year.

Battle: Los Angeles got off to a great start on Friday, grossing at least $13.5 million to easily come in No. 1.
The sci-fi action pic could make as much as $38 million for the weekend, one of the best starts of the year.
Conversely, Disney’s performance capture Mars Needs Moms fared dismally in its first day, grossing roughly $1.8 million. The family film -- costing a pricey $140 million to produce -- could only gross $8 million for the weekend, one of Disney’s worst openings.
The prospects for Warner Bros.’ dark fantasy Red Riding Hood were more difficult to judge. The film, starring Amanda Seyfried, was in a close race Friday for No. 2 with Paramount holdover Rango.
One set of estimates had Red Riding Hood grossing $6 million; others put the film’s tally closer to $5 million.
Red Riding Hood will need a strong bump on Saturday if it’s to meet expectations for an opening weekend gross of $18 million to $20 million. Otherwise, it could be looking at an opening weekend gross of $15 million or $16 million, a softer-than-expected debut.
Rango, meanwhile, is looking at a weekend gross of at least $20 million after earning at least $5.3 million on Friday.