Disney’s boxing robots, Real Steel, remained at the top of the US box office chart,earning $16.8 million over the weekend.

Paramount’s dancing drama, Footloose, was close enough opening with $16.1 million. Since these figures are based on projections, Footloose may well take over Real Steal when the final figures are released on Monday.

Footloose is  a remake of the 1980s film about a youth (Kenny Wormald), who challenges the town’s priest (Dannis Quaid) on dancing and dates his rebellious daughter (Jullianne Hough.)

Trailing behind in the third place was Universal’s horror update, The Thing, about Antractic researchers stalked by a shape-shifting alien. It debuted with $8.7 million.