Box Office: 'Breaking Dawn' stays on top with $42M

North American box office earnings are still down from last year, but "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" did everything it could to boost numbers, earning a solid $42 million from ticket sales at 4,066 locations, according to Sunday studio estimates.

The first part of the finale scored a strong average of $10,330 per theater, lifting its domestic gross to $221.3 million. At this point, it's safe to say the latest installment in the series is on track to beat the $296.6 million total cume of  "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Celebrating a decent start this past week was "The Muppets," which bagged $29.5 million at No. 2 for a five-day total haul of $42 million. Playing at 3,440 theaters, the film landed an average of $8,576 per location. "Happy Feet Two" came in third with $13.4 million ($43.7 million).

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Watch: Trailer for Payne's 'Descendants'

Alexander Payne's next directorial effort is "The Descendants," and the first trailer for the upcoming drama has just been released online. Give it a look after the jump. It looks great! George Clooney, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard and Robert Forster star.

The plot follows Clooney as a husband and dad who attempts to work on his troubled relationship with this two daughters after his wife gets into a boating accident in Waikiki. Shailene Woodley, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause and Amara Miller co-star as well. Film opens Dec. 16, 2011.

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Payne's 'Descendants' cast is growing

Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard and Robert Forster are joining George Clooney in Alexander Payne's next directorial effort "The Descendants," a drama based on the book by Kaui Hart Hemmings. Payne wrote it with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, and the project has just kicked off filming in Hawaii.

The plot follows Clooney as a husband and dad who attempts to work on his troubled relationship with this two daughters after his wife gets into a boating accident in Waikiki. Shailene Woodley, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause and Amara Miller co-star, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

George Clooney picks 'Descendants'

George Clooney make get his Alexander Payne on soon, as the actor is in talks to star in the filmmaker's upcoming Fox Searchlight drama "The Descendants," based on Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel.

"Descendants" follows a rich landowner (Clooney) who embarks on a search for his wife's lover with his two daughters. His plan is to do everything it takes to keep his family together.

Nat Faxon and Jim Rash wrote the script, but Payne did some rewrites .He will shoot the film early 2010 in Hawaii, according to Variety. This marks his first feature since 2004's comedy "Sideways."

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Alexander Payne opts for 'Descendants'

Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne, whose last feature was 2004's splendid comedy "Sideways," will direct Fox Searchlight's upcoming family dramedy "The Descendants."

The film is based on Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel and follows a rich landowner who embarks on a search for his wife's lover with his two daughters. His plan is to do everything it takes to keep his family together.

Nat Faxon and Jim Rash wrote the script, but Payne is currently doing some rewrites, according to Variety. He will shoot the film later this year or early 2010 in Hawaii. Casting has yet to get under way.

Payne also directed "About Schmidt" and "Election." One of his upcoming projects is "Downsizing," a comedy starring Paul Giamatti, Sacha Baron Cohen and Reese Witherspoon.

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