The caveman comedy ``The Croods'' left an indelible mark on the wall, opening at No. 1 with an estimated $44.7 million.
3-D adventure from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox has a voice cast including Nicolas Cage, Catherine Keener and Emma Stone. They are a family of prehistoric Collision and strange new creatures, when they are forced to find a new cave.
Opening solidly in second place with $ 30.5 million were `` Olympus fell,'' fighter from the first day of training ``'' director Antoine Fuqua, in which terrorists take over North Korea's White House. Gerard Butler, a secret service agent, leads all-star cast that includes Aaron Eckhart, as president, Morgan Freeman, and Angela Bassett.
`` Croods'' made $ 108 million worldwide, and also to open this weekend in Russia, the UK, Germany and Spain. The United States is the only game in town, as far as animated films for the whole family, and will continue to drive children to school during a break in the next two weeks.
`` It's a big crowd pleaser, he received CinemaScore, and + the audience of 18, which leads me to believe that many kids love movies,'' said Anne Globe, director of marketing for DreamWorks Animation.
Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution for 20th Century Fox, said, ``'' Croods had a strong opening to $ 40 million studio expected.
`` To enter the bar $ 45 million, ahead of 'How to Train Your Dragon, "which is another fantastic film from DreamWorks Animation, is an excellent starting point for spring break,'' Aronson said.
`` Olympus fell'' also opened above expectations __ much higher because FilmDistrict thought it would end somewhere in the range of sub-$ 20 million, said President Jim Orr distribution.
At the moment it is the largest debut for an independent distributor, which was established in September 2010, the previous best of $ 14.3 million in `` Red Dawn'' remake last year on Thanksgiving weekend holiday weekend.
`` Antoine Fuqua and Millennium Films delivered a brilliant, futuristic thriller with serious all-star cast led by Gerard Butler, and word of mouth, it seems terrible,'' said Mr. Orr.
`` He is not only exceeded our preliminary estimates of the weekend, because the weekend is over, it gets better.
This is the first thriller once in a while, I got-CinemaScore, it is obvious that people talk about and enjoy.''
This double blow Croods ``'' and `` _'' Olympus two films that appealed to two very different audiences _ was much needed on hand, and it is 13 percent compared to the same period last year, said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at Hollywood.com.
`` I was really surprised 'Olympus. This year, the militants have been R-rated all fell,'' said Dergarabedian, including `` The Last Stand'' and `` Parker.'' `'Marketing was good. _ Gerard Butler is the real deal, it looks from the outside, and all. And the theme of the film, the fact that the president is under siege _ `he worked on Air Force One.
There is something about it that works for the public.'' But this weekend's letters, 34 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when the ice rink playing `` Hunger'' debuted.
He jumped up $ 152.5 million in the opening, which is greater than all the films in cinemas in combination do this weekend.
Among other new movies this weekend, Tina Fey-Paul Rudd comedy `` College'' Features focus opened in fifth place with only $ 6.4 million.
But on spring break buzzed-about films `` A24'', starring Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, as the hard partying students succeeded in their first national expansion. He made $ 5 million on 1104 screens for a total of $ 5.4 million over the past two weeks.
Nothing really huge on the horizon to give the cash to increase to Iron Man 3'' `` starts summer movie season May 3 Dergarabedian said. But good results for Olympus fell'' `` may bode well for the future of `` GI Joe: Retaliation'' next weekend.
Estimated revenue from Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com.
Where available, latest international numbers are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. ``The Croods,'' $44.7 million.
2. ``Olympus Has Fallen,'' $30.5 million.
3. ``Oz the Great and Powerful,'' $22 million.
4. ``The Call,'' $8.7 million.
5. ``Admission,'' $6.4 million.
6. ``Spring Breakers,'' $5 million.
7. ``The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,'' $4.3 million.
8. ``Jack the Giant Slayer,'' $3 million.
9. ``Identity Thief,'' $2.5 million.
10. ``Snitch,'' $1.9 million.