A romantic comedy starring the same ensemble cast* from “Valentine’s Day” has succeeded in dethroning* “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1,” the latest installment on the vampire and werewolves* theme, from the No.1 place of North America box office, bringing its three-week lead to an end.

    “New Year’s Eve,” a star-studded* film which is directed by Garry Marshall, who helmed* the last holiday-targeted drama “Valentine’s Day,” is projected to take in US$13.7 million in ticket sales since it debuted in 3,505 locations in the United States and Canada on Friday.

    Although the gross is far less than US$20 million in receipts the producer New Line Cinema and distributor Warner Bros. had expected it to earn, it turned out enough to nudge* aside “Breaking Dawn.”

    The star-heavy romance featured an ensemble cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel and Halle Berry, chronicling* the lives of several individuals in New York City on New Year’s Eve.

    The majority of the critics see the romance in a generally negative light, with review research firm Rotten Tomatoes giving it a mere 7 percent rating, based on 113 reviews. The verdict* is that the film is “shallow, sappy, and dull,” which “assembles a star-studded cast for no discernible* purpose.”

    The romance won over many female moviegoers who accounted for 70 percent of the overall audience.

    “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1” has slipped to No. 3, earning US$7.9 million in sales for a three-week gross of US$259.5 million from North America. (SD-Agencies)