Claiming frontrunner status for the third straight week, “The Dark Knight Rises” once again sits atop the box office to begin the weekend of August 3-5, 2012. Certainly encountering stiffer competitionin the newly released crop of contenders, Christopher Nolan’s final Batman installment starring Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway still managed to build a slim lead thanks to Friday earnings of $10.2 million (est.) with forecasts pegged at a $36 million three day take. In what comes as a disappointing showing, the Colin Farrell , Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale starring action newcomer “Total Recall” posted runner-up worthy ticket sales with a projected $9.5 million opening day. Unfortunately, the Len Wiseman directed revamp’s estimated $26.5 million inaugural weekend total puts the pressure on for big International sales if Sony Pictures hopes to cover the project’s $150 million price tag. Filling out the top five at the box office in expected totals are the just-released David Bowers directed family comedy “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” ($17 million), followed by Twentieth Century Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios’ animated tale “Ice Age: Continental Drift” ($7.8 million) and a too close to call race for fifth between Vince Vaughn / Jonah Hill / Ben Stiller starring comedy “The Watch” ($5.6 million) and Mark Wahlberg and the Mila Kunis front talking teddy bear film “Ted” ($5.6 million).

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Box Office: "The Dark Knight Rises" Holds Off "Total Recall" to Keep Top Spot