“Fast and Furious” smashes this year’s record for biggest opening weekend, pulling in $72 million, that’s the biggest April opening ever and $14 million more than last weekend’s number one movie “Monsters vs. Aliens”.   Its a 9% increase from last weekend.

In addition to breaking the April record, “Fast and Furious”’s $72.51 million was nearly as much as all of the Top 12 movies combined for the same weekend in 2008 ($80.22 million April 4-6, 2008).

“Adventureland” opened in 6th place, while “Sunshine Cleaning” cracked the top 10 as it opened in West Michigan for the first time.

So much for staying power, “Watchmen” drops out of Top 10 in just its 5th week (from 8th to 13th)… meanwhile “Taken” holds on in its 11th week, losing 41% of its audience from last week, moving just 2 spots (2 new movies) from 9th to 11th.   But “I Love You, Man” lost the least of the top 15 movies, down just 38% from the previous weekend. 

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Fast and Furious” – $72.51 million (1st week)

2. “Monsters vs. Aliens” – $33.51 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 44% of audience from last week)

3. “The Haunting in Connecticut” – $9.55 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 59% from last week)

4. “Knowing” – $8.13 million
(3rd week, was #3 last week, lost 45% from last week)

5. “I Love You, Man” – $7.85 million
(3rd week, was #4 last week, lost 38% from last week)

6. “Adventureland” – $6.01 million (1st week)

7. “Duplicity” – $4.30 million
(3rd week, was #5 last week, lost 44% from last week)

8. ”Race to Witch Mountain” – $3.35 million
(4th week, was #6 last week, lost 42% from last week)

9. “12 Rounds” – $2.30 million
(2nd week, was #7 last week, lost 57% from last week)

10. “Sunshine Cleaning” – $1.88 million
(4th week of limited release, was #11 last week, gained 48% from last weekend, adding 312 theaters, including West Michigan)

—

11. “Taken” – $1.58 million
(10th week, was #9 last week, lost 41% from last week)

12. “The Last House on the Left” (2009) – $1.31 million
(4th week, was #10 last week, lost 50% from last week)

13. “Watchmen” - $1.09 million
(5th week, was #8 last week, lost 60% from last week)

14. “Slumdog Millionaire” - $0.51 million
(21st week, was #12 last week, lost 56% from last week)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Fast & Furious” poster courtesy Universal Pictures

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo