'42' opens on top this weekend

The Jackie Robinson biography “42” opened as the top weekend film at theaters in the U.S. and Canada, taking in $27 million for Legendary Pictures and distributor Time Warner Inc.

The spoof “Scary Movie 5,” was second in its debut, taking in $15 million for Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Films, researcher Hollywood.com Box-Office said today in an e-mailed statement.

“42” is first independent production for Legendary, which is led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Tull and best known for its “Dark Knight” films. The company, whose financing and co-production agreement with Warner Bros. expires at this end of the year, is developing three more on its own, including the action films “Great Wall” and “Pacific Rim.”

In “42” Chadwick Boseman stars as the first black to play Major League Baseball. Harrison Ford co-stars as Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers general manager who recruited Robinson and helped him deal with the racism of fans and players. The film, made for $40 million, was expected to take in $21.1 million this weekend, the estimate of Box Office Mojo.

“Scary Movie 5” continues the series poking fun at the horror genre. The latest version takes on the recent trend of possession movies by focusing on a couple who are stalked by a demon soon after they bring their newborn home from the hospital.

The first four films generated $818.2 million in global ticket sales. The new installment cost about $20 million and was forecast to take in $17.6 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

“The Croods,” about a prehistoric family of cave dwellers, was third with $13 million in receipts for DreamWorks Animation SKG. The movie, featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds, has taken in $142.5 million after four weeks in theaters.