Fox successfully rebooted its simian sci-fi franchise as Rise of the Planet of the Apes [RSAPE] ruled the weekend box office with an estimated $54.0 million. The origins story attracted a pretty even crowd for the sci-fi genre with males at 54%. With great reviews and postivie word of mouth, the film exceeded expectations and looks to maintain its grip on moviegoers.
The Smurfs [SMURF] held the second spot with $21.0 million. The family film declined 41% from its opening weekend.
Last week's number one, Cowboys & Aliens [CBALN] dropped 57% to $15.7 million for third place.
The Change-Up [CHNUP] grossed $13.5 million to debut fourth overall. The body-switching film scored the lowest opening amongst this summer's R-rated comedies.
| Rank | TITLE | F-S-S | TOTAL |
| 1 | RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES | $54,000,000 | $54,000,000 |
| 2 | THE SMURFS | $21,000,000 | $76,200,000 |
| 3 | COWBOYS & ALIENS | $15,748,000 | $67,368,095 |
| 4 | THE CHANGE-UP | $13,501,755 | $13,501,755 |
| 5 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER | $13,000,000 | $143,182,000 |
| 6 | HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PT. 2 | $12,160,000 | $342,801,000 |
| 7 | CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE | $12,100,000 | $42,185,000 |
| 8 | FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS | $4,700,000 | $48,500,000 |
| 9 | HORRIBLE BOSSES | $4,620,000 | $105,162,000 |
| 10 | TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON | $3,015,000 | $344,133,000 |
| 11 | ZOOKEEPER | $2,150,000 | $73,595,000 |
| 12 | CARS 2 | $1,135,000 | $184,719,000 |
Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.
Tag(s): RSAPE, SMURF, CBALN, CHNUP