The Martian Takes #1 Spot At U.S. Box Office

by Helen Earnshaw | 5 October 2015

The Martian has stormed to the top of the U.S. box office, taking $55 million in its opening weekend of release.

The Martian

The Martian marks the return of Ridley Scott to the director's chair as he brings Andy Weir's popular novel of the same name to the big screen with Matt Damon in the central role.

The science fiction movie, which has been met with great reviews from the critics and is tipped as a potential Oscar contender, was the only new entry inside the top ten this week as it toppled Hotel Transylvania 2 from the number one spot.

Hotel Transylvania 2 only spent a single week at the top of the U.S. box office but the animation film fell just a single place to number two - taking a further $33 million over the weekend.

Sicario, which is set to be released in the UK this week, was the only film on the up this week as the Denis Villeneuve directed film leapt from ten to round off the top three.

Sicario is new crime thriller from the Prisoners director and will see Emily Blunt team up with Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro.

The Intern was down two places this week as it fell from two to four, while The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials was also down two at this week's number five.

Black Mass fell out of the top five this week as the gangster film dropped a single place to number six. Everest was one of two three place fallers as the disaster movie slipped from four to number seven.

The Visit was down two at eight, while former number one War Room was down just a single place at nine. The Perfect Guy was the other three place faller as it dropped from number seven to round off the top ten.