Box office: 'Safe House' surprises, 'Ghost Rider' disappoints

This post has been updated. See the note below for details.

"Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" was supposed to cruise to the top of the box office this weekend, but the Nicolas Cage action film flamed out at the multiplex.

Instead, it was Denzel Washington's "Safe House" that took No. 1, rising to the prime spot after debuting in the runner-up position the previous weekend. The action thriller grossed an impressive $28.4 million over the four-day Presidents Day holiday, bringing its 11-day total to $82.6 million, according to an estimate from distributor Universal Pictures.

Moviegoers also didn't forget about "The Vow," the romantic tear-jerker that won the box-office battle the previous weekend. The film about a woman who suffers amnesia and cannot remember her husband collected an additional $26.6 million. After just over two weeks in theaters, the modestly budgeted picture starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams has already collected a strong $88.5 million.

The 3-D "Ghost Rider" sequel, as well as two other new films, did not have as much luck at the box office over the holiday weekend. Cage's latest film was expected to debut with at least $30 million, but instead started off with a modest $25.7 million. The romantic comedy action film "This Means War" opened to a moderate $20.4 million, while the Japanese anime production "The Secret World of Arrietty" brought in a so-so $8.1 million.

The original "Ghost Rider" had a far more robust opening back on Presidents Day weekend in 2007, when the film started off with $52 million. Ultimately, the movie made $115.8 domestically and about that much overseas as well. The sequel, however, was made for about $30 million less than the original. "Spirit of Vengeance" was funded by Sony and production and financing company Hyde Park Entertainment for about $80 million, said one person close to the project who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. A Sony spokesperson insisted the actual cost was $57 million.

It now seems unlikely that critically panned sequel will reach the same box-office heights, especially because those who saw the film this weekend didn't like it, assigning it an average grade of C+, according to market research firm CinemaScore. The film attracted a largely male crowd, as 61% of the audience were men; roughly 48% was under the age of 25. 

Cage has had a mixed track record at the box office in recent years. The original "Ghost Rider" was one of his few hits, along with the 2007 sequel "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," which grossed about $350 million worldwide. But the 48-year-old's last three films, "Drive Angry," "Season of the Witch" and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," were all huge flops.

"This Means War," starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, was received more positively by audiences. Those who saw the film about two CIA agents fighting for the affection of the same woman gave it an average grade of A-. The film attracted a 65% female audience, indicating its gross was likely negatively affected by competition from "The Vow," which appealed to the same demographic. 

Only days before its release, 20th Century Fox pushed the official release date for "This Means War" from Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 to Feb. 17. Though the studio said the move was made in an effort to spread positive buzz about the film, it also seemed like a tactic to give the movie more of a fighting chance against "The Vow."

Directed by "Terminator: Salvation" filmmaker McG, the movie was financed by Fox and partner Dune Entertainment for about $65 million.

Although "The Secret World of Arrietty" failed to crack the $10-million mark at the box office this weekend, the film still had the biggest opening of any of the anime films Walt Disney Studios has released in the U.S. "Ponyo," directed by Hayao Miyazaki -- who co-wrote "Arrietty" -- debuted with $3.6 million in 2009 and collected $15.1 million by the end of its run.

The movie, about little people who live under the floorboards of a house, was a huge hit overseas when it was released internationally in 2010. That year, it became the top-grossing movie in Japan and made a total of $126 million abroad. The new version, which features the voices of English-speaking actors such as Amy Poehler and Will Arnett, was well-liked by Americans, who gave it an A- CinemaScore this weekend.

The film came to America largely due to John Lasseter, the chief of Pixar Animation Studio who also oversees Disney Animation and has had a longtime relationship with Miyazaki.

[Updated, 11:45 a.m. Feb. 20: "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" maintained a solid hold at the box office this weekend, as its ticket sales fell only 27% to $26.4 million. While the film debuted domestically last weekend, it has been playing for about a month overseas, and has already collected $130 million internationally. "Journey to the Center of the Earth," released in 2008, collected about $140 million abroad.

Here are the top 10 movies in the U.S. and Canada, based on their four-day grosses. Percentage changes are based on three-day grosses. International grosses are through Sunday only.

Movie Projector: 'Ghost Rider' sequel to scorch competition

This post has been corrected. See bottom for details.

Nicolas Cage plays with fire in "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," but it's the competition at the box office that will likely get burned this weekend.

The 3-D sequel, featuring a demonic motorcycle-riding superhero played by Cage, is expected to be the No. 1 film over President's Day weekend. According to those who have seen pre-release audience surveys, the movie will debut with around $30 million in sales from Friday through Monday.

The tear-jerker "The Vow" and the action film "Safe House," which each opened to over $40 million last weekend, will likely fight for the runner-up position with around $20 million in sales.

Two new films, meanwhile, are projected to trail behind. The romantic comedy-action flick "This Means War," starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, is expected to bring in a so-so $15 million over the four-day holiday. And "The Secret World of Arrietty," an animated film first released in Japan in 2010 and now dubbed with the voices of American actors, will likely start off with about $5 million.

The original "Ghost Rider" opened on the same weekend in 2007 and debuted with $45.4 million, ultimately raking in $115.8 domestically and about that much overseas as well. The film was one of the biggest successes in recent years for Cage, who has appeared in an astounding 14 films since the release of "Ghost Rider." Of those, most were action movies, with the highest-grossing one being the sequel "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," which took in about $350 million worldwide in 2007.

While the outdoor advertisements for the 48-year-old actor's latest project spotlight the recognizable Ghost Rider character, his face or name are not prominently featured. The movie was not screened in advance for critics, indicating that Sony Pictures may be nervous about its public reception.

The picture was funded by Sony along with production and financing company Hyde Park Entertainment for about $80 million, said one person close to the project who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. Hyde Park controls international distribution rights. The sequel was made for about $30 million less than the original, and also features new directors in Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, who are well known to fanboys for their work on the "Crank" series.

"This Means War" was initially slated to officially open nationwide on Valentine's Day, but last week 20th Century Fox pushed back the release date by three days. In an effort to spread positive word-of-mouth in advance of the film's debut, Fox previewed the picture in approximately 2,500 theaters on Tuesday evening. The picture grossed $1.6 million from one screening only at about 7 p.m.

Fox and co-financier Dune Entertainment spent about $65 million to produce the movie, about two CIA agents both vying for the affections of the same woman. The film is directed by McG, best known for his work on action films such as "Terminator: Salvation." It has been in development at Fox for over a decade, and in recent years attracted the interest of such stars as Bradley Cooper and Sam Worthington.

The film, which has so far received poor critical reviews, is debuting in 17 foreign markets this weekend, including Australia and Russia.

"The Secret World of Arrietty" was co-written by Hayao Miyazaki, the filmmaker behind "Ponyo" and "Spirited Away." Miyazaki enjoys a strong relationship with Pixar Animation Studio's creative guru John Lasseter, who also oversees Disney Animation. 

It was Lasseter who helped bring "Arrietty" to the U.S. after the animated film found success overseas in 2010. That year, it became the top-grossing picture in Japan and collected a total of $126 million abroad. Now, the characters in the movie have been updated with the voices of English-speaking actors, including Bridgit Mendler as the lead character, Amy Poehler and Carol Burnett.

[Updated, 2:51 p.m., Feb. 16: An earlier version of this voice said actress Saoirse Ronan voiced the lead character in the U.S. version of "Arrietty." In fact, she voices the lead character in the U.K. edition of the film.]

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twitter.com/AmyKinLA

Photo: A scene from "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." Credit: Sony Pictures

'The Vow' sets Valentine's Day record with $11.6 million box office

 

This post was updated. See note below for details.

Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams' big-screen love proved to be couples' top choice on Valentine's Day, as "The Vow" sold a record number of tickets on the romantic holiday.

The tear-jerker released by Sony Pictures' Screen Gems label raked in an estimated $11.6 million on Tuesday. That's nearly double as much as Tuesday's No. 2 film, the Denzel Washington thriller "Safe House," which collected $6.1 million.

Since opening on Friday, "The Vow" has collected a very healthy $56.1 million.

The previous box office record for a weekday Valentine's Day was set by "Hitch." The Will Smith romantic comedy grossed $7.5 million on Feb. 14 in 2005.

Overall, ticket sales amounted to $30.1 million on Valentine's Day this year, up 38% compared with 2011's holiday total of $21.8 million.

Many in Hollywood are attributing part of "The Vow's" success to Sony's digital campaign for the film, which engaged fans on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. (For more, see this story in Wednesday's Times.)

Also on Tuesday night, 20th Century Fox ran sneak previews for its romantic comedy action film "This Means War" at about 2,500 theaters. With one screening only at about 7 p.m, the picture grossed $1.6 million. It is now gone from theaters until Friday, when it officially opens nation-wide.

[Update, 12:31 p.m.: This post was updated to include box office results for the "This Means War" sneak preview.]

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Photo: Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams in "The Vow." Credit: Sony Pictures

Box office: 'The Vow' leads strong weekend with $41.7 million [Updated]

Moviegoers fell head over heels for "The Vow" this weekend, as the romantic drama posted the biggest opening of the year.

It was a record-breaking non-holiday weekend at the box office, as four films each debuted with well over $20 million in domestic ticket sales. "The Vow," starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, collected an impressive $41.7 million, according to an estimate from distributor Sony Pictures. The action thriller "Safe House" also beat expectations, starting off with a strong $39.3 million. The sequel "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" also far exceeded industry projections, grossing $27.6 million, while a 3-D re-release of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" took in a respectable $23 million.

As a result of the robust ticket sales, weekend receipts were up 30% compared to the same period in 2011.

"The Vow" opened well above Tatum's last romantic picture, "Dear John," a movie based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks that debuted with $30.5 million around Valentine's Day in 2010. That picture, also from Screen Gems, was previously the film label's biggest opening ever -- a record "The Vow" shattered this weekend.

Financed by Spyglass Entertainment and Screen Gems for about $30 million, "The Vow" is about a woman trying to fall in love with her husband again after suffering amnesia due to a car crash. Audiences liked it, giving it an average grade of B, according to market research firm CinemaScore. (Moviegoers responded more positively to "Safe House" and the 3-D "Journey 2," which each earned an  A-.)

The movie appealed mostly to women, as an overwhelming 72% of the audience was female.  It helps that one of the film's stars is a heartthrob;  young women have been buzzing about Tatum online for weeks.

"Safe House" marks the second-highest opening ever for star Denzel Washington, behind his 2007 hit "American Gangster," which launched with $43.6 million. In the 57-year-old's latest film, which also stars Ryan Reynolds, Washington plays a rebellious CIA agent who heads to South Africa on a mission. The movie attracted a slightly older crowd, 62% of whom were over the age of 30. Also, 38% of those who saw it were black and 31% were white.

Average movie-ticket price edges up to a record $7.93 for 2011

The average movie-ticket price in the U.S. climbed to an annual record of $7.93 in 2011, up from $7.89 the year before, the National Assn. of Theatre Owners said Thursday.

Rising prices paid by moviegoers reflect an increase in premium-priced tickets for 3-D movies, IMAX screenings and other specialty formats, said Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the theater association.

In the fourth quarter, however, the average ticket price dropped to $7.83, down from $8.01 in the  last three months of 2010, as theater owners offered more specials and discounted tickets on Tuesday nights.

Total box office revenue last year slumped 4% from the year before to an estimated $10.2 billion, while cinema attendance dropped 5%.

Some analysts blamed rising ticket prices for the decline in box office revenue last year, but theater owners have cited other factors, including the types of movies Hollywood released. Business has rallied so far this year, however, with box office revenue up about 11% and attendance up about 12% compared with the same time last year.

The trade association's ticket-price figures are based on data from across the country and include lower-priced matinee and children's tickets.

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Photo: Asa Butterfield plays Hugo Cabret in "Hugo" from Paramount Pictures. Credit: Jaap Buitendijk / Paramount Pictures

Movie Projector: 'The Vow' to sweep audiences off their feet

The new romantic drama "The Vow" is poised to steal the hearts of moviegoers this weekend. 

The tear-jerker starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams could gross between $35 million and $40 million in its debut,  according to those who have seen prerelease audience surveys. Sony Pictures, whose Screen Gems label produced the film, is projecting a more conservative domestic opening of between $28 million and $30 million.

It should be a strong weekend at the multiplex, as three other new movies are also expected to bring in healthy ticket sales. "Safe House," an action thriller headlined by Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, will likely debut with around $25 million. A 3-D re-release of George Lucas' 1999's "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" could rake in roughly $20 million, while the 3-D sequel "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" will likely start off with around $13 million.

"The Vow" is based on the true life story of a woman who lost her memory in a car accident and had to fall in love with her husband for the second time. The film has immense buzz online, where young women have for weeks been posting messages on Twitter and Facebook about the picture and its heartthrob star Tatum.

The 31-year-old actor appeared in a similar romance picture that came out around Valentine's Day in 2010, "Dear John." That film, based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, debuted with $30.5 million and ultimately collected $80 million in the U.S. and Canada. The biggest hit to be released around the Feb. 14 holiday is the aptly named "Valentine's Day," which featured a cavalcade of A-list stars and opened to $56.3 million in February 2010.

"The Vow" was co-financed by Spyglass Entertainment and Screen Gems for about $30 million.

Universal Pictures and Relativity Media spent far more on "Safe House," which was made for around $85 million. The movie, which stars Washington as a renegade CIA agent on a mission in South Africa, is so far appealing mostly to older males and African American moviegoers.

The film is on track to open to around the same figure the 57-year-old actor's last release, 2010's action thriller "Unstoppable," which launched with $22.7 million.

Walt Disney Studios has found some success releasing a couple of its classic animated titles in 3-D. Its reissue of "The Lion King" last fall wound up raking in around $94 million, while "Beauty and the Beast" has made about half that much since its re-release in January.

Still, it remains to be seen whether audiences will embrace 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm's updated version of the "Star Wars" installment -- especially considering the movie was poorly received by fans upon its original debut. However, the film grossed $924.3 million at the worldwide box office, of which $431 million came from domestic ticket sales.

"Mysterious Island" is a sequel to 2008's "Journey to the Center of the Earth," which debuted with $21 million. The movie fared well domestically, bringing in a total of about $100 million, but made an even more impressive $140.3 million overseas.

The sequel has already been released in a number of foreign countries and has so far grossed $41.5 million internationally, performing best in Korea. It has already grossed 15% more than the 2008 release did abroad during the same time period.

The first "Journey" movie starred Brendan Fraser, but the actor reportedly dropped out of the sequel in 2010 because it was not being directed by Eric Brevig, the filmmaker behind the original. Fraser was replaced by Dwayne Johnson, who plays a stepfather who embarks on an adventure with his son (portrayed by "The Hunger Games" star Josh Hutcherson) to uncover a secret island.

The movie was financed by Warner Bros.' New Line division for about $79 million.

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Photo: Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams star in "The Vow." Credit: Sony Pictures

'This Means War' official release date delayed

 

In an unusual move, 20th Century Fox is pushing back the official opening of the romantic action-comedy "This Means War" from Tuesday, Feb. 14 to Friday, Feb. 17. The move may be designed to let the studio avoid reporting what likely would have been weak box-office receipts on Valentine's Day.

 However, the movie will still get a "sneak preview," playing once Tuesday evening at between 2,000 and 2,500 locations nationwide. "This Means War" will then disappear from theaters for two days and officially open on Friday.

Pre-release surveys indicate audiences are less interested in "This Means War," which stars Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, and is directed by McG, than other movies opening in the next week. In particular, the romantic drama "The Vow" starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum is proving popular with women, who are also a target audience for "This Means War." Research shows that women often dictate moviegoing choices on Valentine's Day.

"The Vow" is expected to open to at least $30 million from Friday through Sunday, while "This Means War" is on track to take in about half that much on its first weekend.

By playing the movie as a "sneak preview," Fox will not be expected to publicly report its grosses for Tuesday and potentially disclose that it came in No. 2, if not lower, generating negative press attention going into the weekend. Instead, the only public discussion around the film will be whether people who attended the sneak screening liked "This Means War."

"Word of mouth is great on this movie, and this gives people more time to talk about it," said Fox executive vice president of distribution Chris Aronson. "Sometimes you’ve got to let the movie speak for itself."

Typically, sneak previews happen a week or more before a movie debuts. Fox's "We Bought a Zoo," for instance, was previewed over Thanksgiving weekend but didn't officially open until Christmas Day.

Fox's last-minute gambit with "This Means War" is a gamble, in part because widespread advertisements have proclaimed that it opens Feb. 14.

Fox is betting that positive buzz will help boost the box-office tally for the approximately $65-million production on the weekend of Feb. 17.

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Photo: Chris Pine, left, Reese Witherspoon and Tom Hardy in "This Means War." Credit: Kimberly French / Fox.

Box Office: 'Chronicle' soars on Super Bowl weekend [Updated]

Three new films proved their might at the box office this weekend, as ticket sales were stronger than anticipated despite the allure of the Super Bowl.

"Chronicle," a found-footage adventure about a group of teenagers with superpowers, took the No. 1 spot with $22 million in domestic receipts, according to an estimate from distributor 20th Century Fox. The horror film "The Woman in Black," the first movie from "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe outside of the popular franchise, wasn't far behind with $21 million. But the inspirational drama "Big Miracle," about the plight of three California gray whales, could muster only a lackluster $8.5 million.

As a result of the better-than-expected box office business, ticket sales were up 37% compared to Super Bowl weekend in 2011.

PHOTOS: Box office top ten

"Chronicle" received the strongest reviews of any other film debuting this weekend, but audiences liked it slightly less than "Big Miracle." The superhero flick was given an average grade of B, according to market research firm CinemaScore, while the environmental picture scored an A-. "The Woman in Black" earned a less impressive B-.

Because "Chronicle" features a mostly unknown cast and is targeted at young males, Fox was only projecting the film would make a soft $8 million this weekend. But the low-budget movie, produced by the studio for only $12 million, fared better than expected due largely in part to young moviegoers. About 61% of those who saw the film this weekend were under the age of 25, while 55% of the audience was male.

"The Woman in Black" is by far the best opening ever for CBS Films, whose strongest debut up to this point was the $12.2-million start by romantic comedy "The Back-up Plan" in 2010. Of the six pictures the studio has released since early 2010, the Radcliffe movie also had the most positive reviews. 

CBS Films paid $3 million to acquire the North American distribution rights for the film, which was financed by the U.K.-based distribution company Momentum Pictures for $13 million.

The movie's respectable debut is a win for 22-year-old Radcliffe, who had yet to open a movie outside of the massively popular "Potter" series. Since the film series concluded with its eighth installment in July, the actor spent months on Broadway in a well-received turn in the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

In his first test as a leading man, Radcliffe showed he could attract a diverse group of moviegoers to the multiplex. It was expected that his young female fan base would show up to the scary film in droves, but the audience was more evenly split than many had predicted: 59% of the crowd was female, and 57% was under the age of 25.

In fact, "Big Miracle" ended up appealing more to young women. The movie attracted an audience that was 68% female and 67% below 25 years of age. 

The movie, starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, is based on the 1988 rescue of three whales trapped under the ice in Alaska. Accordingly, the film did the briskest business in Anchorage, where two theaters brought in bigger ticket sales respectively than any other cinemas in the country.

The movie had the biggest budget of any new film released this weekend, as Universal Pictures spent about $40 million to produce it. Unfortunately for the studio, it doesn't seem likely that "Big Miracle" will be able to replicate the success of last year's "Dolphin Tale," another family film about a struggling sea mammal. Last September, that Warner Bros. film opened to around $19 million and eventually grossed $72 million.

[Updated 12:34 p.m., Feb. 5: Overseas, "Chronicle" also took the No. 1 spot in a number of international markets, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong. Of the 33 foreign countries where it debuted, the movie played best in the U.K., taking in $3.5 million there.

Meanwhile, ahead of its U.S. opening next weekend, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" has already raked up a healthy sum internationally. The Warner Bros. film starring Dwayne Johnson has so far collected $41.5 million outside of America, with the biggest ticket sales coming from Korea. The movie has now grossed 15% more than 2008's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" had during the same time period overseas, and that movie ultimately made over $140 million abroad.

Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office this weekend, with international grosses when available, according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com:

Movie Projector: 3 new pics could get sacked on Super Bowl weekend

Tom Brady and Eli Manning are expected to light up the scoreboard at the Super Bowl, but don’t look for equally big numbers at the box office this weekend.

Three new movies will scramble for ticket sales, as tens of millions of Americans will be tuning in to the biggest television event of the year on Sunday. The found-footage teen adventure film "Chronicle" is expected to edge out the competition with about $15 million, according to those who have seen prerelease audience surveys. Distributor 20th Century Fox, however, is predicting a far softer debut  of about $8 million.

"The Woman in Black," a horror film starring "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe, will probably trail behind with roughly $12 million. And "Big Miracle," an environmental drama about the plight of three California gray whales, is projected to gross a lackluster sum of between $8 million and $10 million.

Super Bowl weekend is traditionally slow for the movie business. Last year, it was the fourth-lowest grossing weekend of the year. Films that have fared well during the sports event have often appealed to tween girls, like "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" or "Dear John."

"Chronicle," about three teenage guys who learn they have superpowers, is aimed at young males. The movie, which features a largely unknown cast, has earned stronger reviews than other films debuting this weekend. Fox spent about $12 million to produce the film, which has generated positive buzz on such social media websites as Twitter.

"The Woman in Black," meanwhile, is CBS Films' first release since last March, when it distributed "Beastly." The film, a modern take on "Beauty and the Beast," collected a modest $27.9 million at the box office. The studio's latest picture has so far earned the most positive reviews of any of the six pictures it has released since early 2010.

The production was financed by the U.K.-based distribution company Momentum Pictures for $13 million, but CBS Films paid just $3 million to acquire the movie's North American distribution rights and is spending about $14 million to market it.

The horror film marks Radcliffe's first turn as a leading man outside of the highly successful "Harry Potter" series, which concluded with its eighth installment in July. Now 22, the actor began playing the boy wizard at age 10, but only had time to appear in one non-"Potter" movie -- the 2007 limited release "December Boys."

Last year, Radcliffe had a well-received run on Broadway in the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and in 2007 starred in the classic stage play "Equus," but it remains to be seen if he can attract more than just his young female fanbase at the multiplex. 

"Big Miracle," starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, is based on the real-life 1988 rescue of three whales trapped under the ice in Alaska. Universal Pictures spent about $40 million to produce the inspirational drama, which is being targeted at women and children.

Despite respectable reviews, it does not appear "Big Miracle" will follow in the footsteps of last year's "Dolphin Tale." That Warner Bros. film, also centering around a troubled sea creature, became a surprise hit and ultimately grossed $72 million.

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Photo: Alex Russell, left, Michael B. Jordan and Dane DeHaan star in "Chronicle." Credit: 20th Century Fox

Box Office: 'The Grey' shines bright in opening weekend

Liam Neeson has secured his status as the thinking man's action star as his latest thriller -- "The Grey" -- finished on top of the box office this weekend.

"The Grey," about a group of oil refinery workers battling the elements and the Alaskan wildlife after a plane crash, easily beat industry expectations. Distributor Open Road and Hollywood.com said the movie taking in $20 million, while rival studios put the film's box office between $19.2 million and $19.6 million. Either way, "The Grey" had no trouble exceeding the projections that had it topping out at $14 million.

For the 59-year-old Neeson, "The Grey" is his third successful action movie in a row. The roughly $20 million that "The Grey" raked in is on par with last year's "Unknown," which took in $21.9 million in its first weekend and not too far off from 2009's "Taken," which made almost $25 million in its debut.

With a production budget of only about $25 million, it is likely that "The Grey" will be in the black fairly quickly. Open Road Films, a joint venture formed last year by theater chains AMC Entertainment and Regal Cinemas, acquired the title for about $5 million.

"We knew on Friday we were doing well when 'The Grey' was trending on Twitter," said Open Road Chief Executive Tom Ortenberg.

Also doing better than expected in its debut was the Lionsgate comedy thriller "One for the Money" starring Katherine Heigl. Based on novelist Janet Evanovich's character Stephanie Plum, a New Jersey bounty hunter, "One for the Money" made $11.7 million, good enough for third place overall and second among new releases.

The reviews for "One for the Money," which was not screened for critics (meaning that they had to pay their own way after the film was released), were far from encouraging. Hollywood insiders were doubtful that the movie, which cost about $40 million to make, would even crack the $10-million mark in its opening.

However, the power of Evanovich's heavily female fan base -- the movie's audience was almost 80% women and of those, about 40% were over 40 -- and a big discount offer for tickets from Groupon was apparently enough for the chick flick to beat the bleak forecast.

"We were obviously happy with the results, but we weren't shocked," said David Spitz, president of theatrical distribution for Lions Gate. Spitz noted that, like the studio's Tyler Perry franchise, the audience for "One for the Money" are not frequent movie attendees, which makes prerelease surveys less reliable. "We knew they would come out," Spitz said.

While "The Grey" and "One for the Money" were overachievers, "Man on a Ledge" from Summit Entertainment was not able to soar in its opening.

The movie, starring Sam Worthington about an ex-cop who has escaped from prison and is trying to prove his innocence, made $8.2 million. That was in line with industry estimates, which were not so great for the who-really-done-it thriller that garnered mostly weak reviews. The film's production budget was about $42 million, however, Summit's exposure on "Man on a Ledge" is less than $10 million.

Among the returning movies, Sony's "Underworld: Awakening" still had enough bite to finish second overall with $12.5 million, a drop of about 51% from its opening-weekend performance.

Fox's "Red Tails," the George Lucas-financed and produced historical drama about the Tuskegee Airmen, which last week surprised box office watchers with its $19.1 million debut, made $10.4 million, a respectable drop in altitude from Week 1 of 45%

Several movies got an Oscar bump this weekend. The picture that gained the most from its Oscar nominations was "The Descendants," which took in $6.5 million. The family drama starring George Clooney, which is in its 11th week of release, expanded from about 600 theaters to 2,000. The movie is likely to pass "Little Miss Sunshine" this week as the fifth-biggest movie from Fox Searchlight.

Also benefiting from Oscar buzz was Weinstein Co.'s silent movie "The Artist," which took in about $3.4 million, a 42% jump from the previous week. Paramount's "Hugo," another big Oscar contender, generated $2.3 million.

Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office this weekend according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com: