The Sandra Bullock-George Clooney space drama Gravity rocketed to the top of the North American box office and into industry record books during its opening weekend.
The Warner Bros adventure debuted with US$55.55 million ($66.8 million) in ticket sales, according to studio estimates the biggest October opening ever and the biggest openings for Bullock and Clooney. The film also dominated the international box office, adding another $27.4 million overseas.
Last week's top movie, Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, rolled into second place with $21.5 million. R-rated fare rounds out the top six. Twentieth Century Fox's Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, opened in third place with $7.6 million.
Warner Bros' Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, locked on to the fourth spot. Universal's racing tale Rush, starring Chris Hemsworth, drove into fifth place, followed by Don Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut about a porn addict looking for love.
"The adult drama is back, and fall is the season for the adult drama," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
