Box Office Weekend Sales: “Guardians of the Galaxy” Tops With Whooping $94 Debut

Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” earned $94 million in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Ahead of its Friday debut, box office analysts initially projected that the comic book adaptation would earn between $60 million and $75 million in North America.

“Guardians” is now the third largest opening of 2014, coming behind the $95 million inauguration of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in April and the $100 million launch of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in June.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.

1. “Guardians of the Galaxy,” $94 million ($66.4 million international).

2. “Lucy,” $18.3 million ($5.1 million international).

3. “Get on Up,” $14 million.

4. “Hercules,” $10.7 million ($14.2 million international).

5. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” $8.7 million ($47.5 million international).

6. “Planes: Fire & Rescue,” $6.4 million ($3.5 million international).

7. “The Purge: Anarchy,” $5.5 million ($8.1 million international).

8. “Sex Tape,” $3.5 million ($4.2 million international).

9. “And So It Goes,” $3.3 million ($650,000 international).

10. “A Most Wanted Man,” $3.3 million ($30,000 international).

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. “Guardians of the Galaxy,” $66.4 million.

2. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” $47.5 million.

3. “The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom,” $40 million.

4. “Roaring Currents,” $30 million.

5. “How To Train Your Dragon 2,” $20 million.

6. “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” $19.1 million.

7. “Continent,” $17 million.

8. “Hercules,” $14.2 million.

9. “Girl Friends,” $13 million.

10. “The Purge: Anarchy,” $8.1 million.