Swinging into theaters nationwide, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” took over the box office by shooting to the top spot over the weekend of August 5-7, 2011.
The James Franco/Freida Pinto starring origins-based picture pulled in an estimated $19 million on opening day while trending towards a solid $50 million weekend take.
Falling to second place was last weekend’s co-winner “The Smurfs 3D,” as the Sony Pictures family film saw $5.7 million in ticket sales on Friday with a projected second weekend total of $18 million.
Rounding out the top five at the box office this weekend are the Daniel Craig/Olivia Wilde driven action flick “Cowboys & Aliens” ($15 million), followed by the disappointing Ryan Reynolds spearheaded comedy “The Change-Up” ($13 million) and “Captain America: The First Avenger” ($13 million).
Read More Rise of the Planet of the Apes Dominates the Box Office