'The Butler' Tops Holiday Weekend Box Office

ANNE MARIE FOX/©WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The film is the first this year to top the box office for three consecutive weekends.

Charlene Cooper Sep, 02, 2013

The Butler won big this Labor Day weekend, taking the number one spot on the North American box office chart.

According to box office estimates, the film won the holiday weekend race over it’s biggest competitor, One Direction: This is Us.

The civil rights drama, starring Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker, brought in more than $20 million over the four day weekend, while One Direction followed closely behind with $18 million.

The film has topped the North American box office for three weekends in a row and it’s the first to do so all year.

“We’re surprised,” The Weinstein Company’s distribution chief Erik Lomis told TheWrap,” and very proud. We weren’t expecting to come away with this one, especially after starting out $5 million behind One Direction after Friday.”

Lomis hopes that with school back in session students can help the film continue it’s successful box office run.

“With the kids getting back to school, we’re hoping the word of mouth gets even stronger.”