“Gravity,” a new 3D thriller about two stranded astronauts floating through space, soared to the top of weekend movie charts.
The film set a box office record for the month of October by pulling in $55.6m at US and Canadian theaters, plus $27.4m from sales in international markets, for a combined debut of $83m, distributor Warner Bros said on Sunday.
Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney wowed critics with its special effects.
Bullock plays a novice astronaut and engineer alongside Clooney as a mission commander. After an accident caused by flying debris, the pair are sent hurtling into space with depleting oxygen and remote chances of returning to Earth.
“It’s great because it’s a film that’s played well with the press and also equally well with the public,” said Dan Fellman, Warner Bros president of domestic distribution.
Critics raved about the visual effects in the film, which cost close to $100m to make and reproduced space and zero gravity in ways never seen on screen. Eighty percent of “Gravity” filmgoers purchased the higher-priced 3D tickets, Warner Bros said.
Overall, 98% of critics recommended “Gravity” in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website, with many suggesting Bullock will be a contender for another best actress Oscar.
Last week’s box office winner, animated “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2,” dropped to second place with $21.5m from Friday through Sunday. “Runner Runner,” a new drama about the dark and murky world of online gambling, finished third after earning $7.6m.
The week’s other top films included “Prisoners,” a drama starring Hugh Jackman as a father searching for his missing daughter, which took in $5.7m. Car racing drama “Rush” took the number 5 slot with $4.4m.
Also this weekend, Sony released “Captain Phillips” in 800 theaters on Saturday to build advance buzz ahead of its wide release next Friday.
The film stars Tom Hanks as the leader of a ship hijacked by Somali pirates. A Sony spokesman said he did not have a dollar estimate for Saturday’s showing but said theaters were 75% full.
