Weekend Box Office Report: August 1-3, 2014

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

A stellar opening for Guardians of the Galaxy!

Moviegoers were definitely interested in taking a trip to outer space this weekend, rocketing Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY to the top of the box office with an estimated $94 million!

The vibrant FX-packed space opera came up just short of the $95 million opening for Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER in April (it went on to $258.9 million), but GUARDIANS got off to a killer start — it's the second-biggest opening of the summer and an August record, and a remarkable $11.2 million of its total came from Thursday night screenings.

The universe-saving misfits (led by instant A-lister Chris Pratt) also took in an additional $66.4 million from international audiences, although GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY doesn't expand to several key territories (including China) until the next few weeks.

Even with the Marvel brand, some initially considered the project to be risky, due to the obscure characters and lack of crossover with Marvel's more familiar Earth-based cinematic universe. But critics and audiences ate up the Skittles-colored sci-fi adventure from SLITHER director James Gunn, giving it a superb 92% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a straight 'A' CinemaScore (with an 'A+' among younger viewers).

Director Luc Besson's drug-powered LUCY was in second with $18.2 million, a loss of 58% from its opening last week. The R-rated Scarlett Johansson actioner is up to $79.5 million (nearly double its reported $40 million cost) and stands a chance of cracking the $100 million barrier before it's done.

Opening in third was the new James Brown biopic GET ON UP with $14 million. The "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" (played by Chadwick Boseman, who also portrayed Jackie Robinson in biopic 42) faced stiff competition against more traditional summer spectacle, but brought the funk to critics and crowds with 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 'A' CinemaScore.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's HERCULES got chopped down to fourth with $10.7 million, a 64% stumble from last week's opening. It's up to a global total of $108 million, so… at the very least, Brett Ratner's take on the mythical hero is outperforming director Renny Harlin's quickly forgotten January attempt THE LEGEND OF HERCULES, which tapped out with $61.2 million worldwide.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES landed in fifth with another $8.7 million as it climbs toward $200 million domestic (it has suprassed the $176.7 million finish of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES) and hits a $447 million worldwide total. After the simian overlords was Disney's PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE in sixth, keeping its wings above THE PURGE: ANARCHY as it slips to seventh.

The R-rated Cameron Diaz/Jason Segel comedy SEX TAPE stayed just ahead of Rob Reiner's elderly romcom AND SO IT GOES (which dropped only 28% from its opening last weekend), while the Philip Seymour Hoffman spy thriller A MOST WANTED MAN added a few hundred screens and held its spot in tenth place with another $3.3 million.

Outside the chart, TAMMY waved goodbye and TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION has descended into the tar pits just as it passes $1 billion globally. In limited release, Richard Linklater's praised BOYHOOD added 200 screens and hung just outside the Top 10 with $2.5 million.

Next weekend brings another splash of colorful comic book heroes as the latest TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES arrive in theaters, along with the tornado thriller INTO THE STORM, Disney's culinary comedy-drama THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY, and this year's dance-off STEP UP ALL IN.

What Marvel character (who hasn't already been officially announced) would you most like to see join the Marvel-owned cinematic universe? VOTE HERE!