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Rise of the Planet of the Apes has held off competition to stay at the top of the US box office.

The film, starring James Franco and Andy Serkis, took in $27.5 million to remain at the top spot for a second week running. The drama has now taken $104.9m in just ten days, after hitting theaters last weekend.

The movie adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestseller The Help, starring Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard, opened in second place with $25.5m.

Final Destination 5 achieved $18.4m in its opening weekend, reaching third place. The Smurfs dropped to fourth place with takings of $13.5m.

R-rated comedy 30 Minutes or Less completed the top five, with earnings of $13m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $27,500,000
2. (-) The Help – $25,500,000
3. (-) Final Destination 5 – $18,400,000
4. (2) The Smurfs – $13,500,000
5. (-) 30 Minutes or Less – $13,000,000
6. (3) Cowboys & Aliens – $7,610,000
7. (5) Captain America: The First Avenger – $7,120,000
8. (7) Crazy, Stupid, Love – $6,930,000
9. (6) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $6,880,000
10. (4) The Change-Up – $6,220,000

Disney has reportedly shut down production on Johnny Depp-led Western The Lone Ranger.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has allegedly been in disputes with Disney over the film’s proposed budget, leading the studio to axe the project.

The Lone Ranger‘s estimated price tag of $200m (£122m) is said to be too much for Disney, who are instead focusing on their upcoming projects John Carter – a sci-fi adventure starring Taylor Kitsch – and Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great And Powerful, Deadline reports.

Director Gore Verbinski was also said to be concerned in light of Disney’s plans to spawn a new franchise from the film.

“Gore doesn’t want to budge for what he thinks a movie like this needs,” a source told The Hollywood Reporter. “The fact that it’s a Western is a definite concern.”

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NBC is reportedly considering a remake of The Munsters.

The project, which comes from Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller, was first in development last year, but NBC decided not to pursue the show.

Executives at the network have now asked Fuller to rework the script, TV Guide says.

The new adaptation of The Munsters is expected to include all of the original characters from the 1960s programme and will keep the series’ humour.

However, it will now be an hour-long show and is thought to be “edgier” and “slightly darker” with more focus on the origins of the characters.

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes surpassed studio estimates to top the US box office this weekend.

The Rupert Wyatt-directed film, which stars James Franco and Andy Serkis, took $54m in its opening weekend following a positive critical reception.

Last week’s joint box-office topper The Smurfs falls one place this weekend, taking $21m, while comic book adaptation Cowboys & Aliens fared slightly worse, taking $15.7m.

R-rated comedy The Change-Up opened to $13.5m, while Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger rounds out the top five with $13m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $54,000,000
2. (1) The Smurfs – $21,000,000
3. (1) Cowboys & Aliens- $15,748,000
4. (-) The Change-Up – $13,500,000
5. (3) Captain America: The First Avenger – $13,000,000
6. (4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $12,160,000
7. (5) Crazy, Stupid, Love – $12,100,000
8. (6) Friends with Benefits – $4,700,000
9. (7) Horrible Bosses – $4,620,000
10. (8) Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $3,015,000

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Johnny Depp has bought the film rights to Sam Sarkar’s comic miniseries The Vault.

The actor will develop the project for the big screen with The Departed producer Graham King, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Vault is a three-part sci-fi-horror published by Image Comics. The story follows a group of divers who unleash an ancient evil when they an uncover a sunken sarcophagus on a mission off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Depp has previously collaborated with King on The Tourist, Rango and his upcoming movie The Rum Diary.

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Anne Hathaway has been revealed in her full Catwoman outfit for upcoming Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises.

The image, unveiled on the comic book blockbuster’s official website, shows Hathaway’s Selina Kyle mounting the Batpod.

Batman insiders recently described Hathaway’s Catwoman outfit as “less sexy” than previous screen incarnations of the character.

“Anne’s outfit is more tactical, like the comic book, than the previous Batman movies,” the source reportedly said. “She will definitely be wearing the goggles and it’s going to be less sexy than Halle Berry and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman costumes. She’s going to look more like a robber.”

Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard will co-star in The Dark Knight Rises, opening in cinemas on July 20, 2012.