Disney's 'Guardians' retakes top slot at box office

Walt Disney Co.'s "Guardians of the Galaxy" reclaimed the top slot in its fourth week at the box office, beating newcomer "If I Stay" and last week's winner, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

"Guardians" garnered $17.6 million in domestic ticket sales, Rentrak Corp. said today in an e-mailed statement. "If I Stay," a Warner Bros. drama starring Chloe Grace Moretz, came in third with $16.4 million in its debut. "Turtles," from Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, fell to second place.

The return to No. 1 after several weeks in theaters is rare and shows the word-of-mouth strength buoying "Guardians," released on Aug. 1.

The Marvel film, which received an A rating from moviegoers, according to polling firm CinemaScore, surpassed "Transformers: Age of Extinction" as the biggest summer blockbuster in U.S. theaters this year.