Weekend Box Office: 'Apes' Still Mighty #1, 'The Help' Strong #2, 'Final Destination' #3, '30 Minutes Or Less' #5, 'Glee 3D' Feeble #6

SATURDAYPM: Here's the North American box office. Full analysis and refined numbers coming: 1.Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (Fox) Week 2 [3,691 Theaters] Friday $8.1M, Saturday $10.5M,Weekend$26.5M,Cume$104M 2. The Help (DreamWorks/Disney) NEW (Wed opening) [2,534 Theaters] Friday$7.6M, Saturday $9.7M,Weekend $24.8M,Cume $34.7M 3.Final Destination 5 - 3D (New Line/Warner Bros) NEW [3,155 Theaters] Friday $7.3M, Saturday $6.3M,Weekend $17.5M 5. The Smurfs (Sony) Week 3 [3,427 Theaters] Friday$3.7M, Saturday $5.5M,Weekend $13.7M,Cume $101.7M 5. 30 Minutes Or Less (Sony) NEW [2,888 Theaters] Friday $4.8M, Saturday $4.7M,Weekend $13M 6.Glee - 3D (Fox) NEW [2,040 Theaters] Friday $2.7M, Saturday $1.7M,Weekend $5.5M 7. Cowboys & Aliens (DreamWorks/Universal) Week 3 [3,310 Theaters] Friday$2.2M, Estimated Weekend $7M, Estimated Cume $80.8M 8. Crazy, Stupid, Love (Warner Bros) Week 3 [2,635 Theaters] Friday $2.1M, Estimated Weekend$7M, Estimated Cume $55.3M 9. Captain America (Marvel/Disney/Paramount)Week 4 [2,835 Theaters] Friday $2M, Estimated Weekend $6.5M,Estimated Cume $156.2M 10. The Change-Up (Universal) Week2 [2,913 Theaters] Friday $1.9M (-60%), Estimated Weekend $6M, EstimatedCume $25.5M

Justin Lin talks Terminator

Bad news for fans of the Highlander franchise, as Fast Five director Justin Lin has stepped down from directorial duties on the forthcoming remake. At present he's set to remain on board as the film's producer.The director had been attached to the project since 2008, but his star has risen since then and it seems that he's received a couple of more attractive offers.First of these is Fast And Furious 6, which Lin confirmed will be his next project in a recent interview with The Playlist. More intriguing however is his involvement with a new Terminator film, on which things are beginning to happen."Terminator is something I've been having a lot of fun with," said Lin. "Just even this week, I had a great meeting with Arnold [Schwarzenneger] and James Cameron, just sitting down unofficially. And James is so gracious because he's not part of the project, he's not going to be producing, but it was great of him just as a filmmaker to take time out to just talk.""I don't know where it's going to lead," he continues, "but I never thought at this level I'm going to be able to meet filmmakers and be in situations where they're that gracious and insightful and so inclusive."Schwarzenneger already has The Last Stand on his plate, but it's heartening to know that the preliminaries are underway on the Terminator project. As for Highlander, it looks like a case of returning to the drawing board...Source: The Playlist, THRWhich gets you more excited, a new Terminator or a new Highlander? Or neither? Share your thoughts below...

WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone ankles

After shepherding the production of eight films, WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone has called it quits. The exec is ankling the company to "pursue other opportunities," according to a corporate filing. He had headed up the film division since 2009, after replacing former Village Roadshow exec Michael Lake. The departure follows remarks this week by WWE topper Vince McMahon that the company was looking to rethink its film strategy after recent releases have struggled to find an audience. Company is narrowing down a list of candidates to replace Pavone. The Samuel Goldwyn Co. has been distribbing WWE's slate since the company began self-financing its own slate in early 2010, after partnering with Fox and Lionsgate in the past. Its most recent release, the drama "That's What I Am," starred Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, earned just $6,400 from 10 theaters in three days at the box office. Its next pic is the comedy "Inside Out," that bows Sept 9., and co-stars HHH, Parker Posey and Michael Rapaport, to be followed by "Family Reunion," "Bending the Rules" and "Barricade." It's also already released "Legendary," "Knucklehead" and the Stephen Herek-helmed comedy "The Chaperone." WWE has opted to give its pics a limited theatrical release in certain markets, using them as promo pushes for the a launch across homevideo platforms shortly thereafter. Walmart is the company's primary retail partner, which has been giving the films prominent displays and shelf space. The pics it produced also didn't star its wrestlers, but featured them in smaller co-starring roles opposite more established thesps like Harris, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover, Mark Feuerstein, Dennis Farina, Jamie Kennedy and Eric McCormack. Although WWE Studios generated $4.3 million during the last three months, "I Am What I Am" wound up losing $3.3 million during the second quarter. Moving forward, WWE is looking at pairing up with other production partners for films. It also wants to lower the production budgets on future releases, which currently hover around the $5 million mark. In May, WWE paired up with Pathe U.K. on the horror film "No One Lives," that stars Luke Evans ("The Three Musketeers," "Immortals") and Ryuhei Kitamura ("Midnight Meat Train") is directing. Leaning more toward genre fare might be part of WWE's playbook after Pavone's slate of mostly feel-good dramas and family fare didn't appeal to the company's fanbase. The film division generated $400,000 in profit last year, through previous releases and Pavone's first titles. Either way, WWE is hoping to turn to its own films to use as programming on the WWE Network, a TV channel the company hopes to launch within the next year to 18 months. Company has also been digitizing its vast library of footage, which consists of 100,000 hours, as programming to adapt for the new network when it launches. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

TNA Hardcore Justice

Kurt Position versus Sting (c), Mexican America versus. Beer Money (c), Austin Aries versus. John Kendrick (c) versus. Alex Shelley, Fortune versus. Immortal, Winter w/Angelina Love versus. Mickie James (c), Take advantage of Van Dam versus. Crimson, The Pope DAngelo Dinero versus. Devon, Bully Ray versus. Mr Anderson and Rosita & Sarita versus. Tara & Ms. Tessmacher

Steven Soderbergh Directing Second Unit on 'The Hunger Games'

Well, here's a move we never thought we'd see from Steven Soderbergh. He's directing second unit on 'The Hunger Games.' Young adult fantasy novels and the director of 'Traffic' and the upcoming 'Contagion' don't seem like an obvious mix, but turns out Soderbergh is good friends with 'Hunger Games' director Gary Ross. The Oscar winner's presence wasn't a secret for long: "Soderbergh in the house this weekend!!! very exciting!" tweeted production designer Eddie Mills, while set electrician Chrys Blackstone posted, "Holy sh*t! Just found out that Steven Soderbergh is coming to the #hungergames to direct 2nd Unit. I am so excited, this is getting good!" IndieWire's The Playlist confirmed that it's all true: Soderbergh produced Ross's 'Pleasantville,' and Ross often takes a look at Soderbergh's scripts. Why tap Soderbergh? He's known for working impossibly quickly. Matt Damon recently shared that during the 'Contagion' shoot, Soderbergh would have the day's shoot edited in about 20 minutes after filming wrapped. "'OK,' he'd say, pull his headphones off and turn the computer around and show us, right there, what we'd shot that day and how it would look on the big screen when the movie comes out. That fast. He's a freak," Damon said. With 'Hunger Games' due in theaters in just seven months (March 23, 2012), getting someone that swift on board is smart thinking. As for Soderbergh, there's no sign of his supposed retirement yet. Next month is the world premiere of 'Contagion' in Venice, then he'll shoot 'Magic Mike' with Channing Tatum as a male stripper and sometime after that, the Liberace biopic with Damon and Michael Douglas, not to mention his thriller 'Haywire,' which opens next January. Does having Soderbergh on board make you more excited to see 'The Hunger Games?' [via The Playlist]

Monte Carlo

A young woman, her uptight step sister and her best friend use their savings for a long anticipated dream trip to Paris, which turns out to be a big disappointment. When they decide to take a break from their lousy tour and duck into the lobby of a luxury hotel, one of them is mistaken for a spoiled British heiress. Before they get the chance to reveal their true identities they are wrapped up in misadventures during a vacation to Monte Carlo instead.