“Need For Speed” zoomed to the top of the box office Friday night, nabbing $6.6 million and leaving “300: Rise of an Empire” and “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” in the dust.
However, it will be a close race for the weekend title, and “Speed” may find itself stuck at No. 2 by Sunday.
The videogame adaptation stars Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots.
“300” came in second place on Friday, earning another $5.8 million. Its domestic total now stands at $65 million, significantly lower that the 2007 original, which had already broken $100 million by this point in release.
In third place was 20th Century Fox's animated “Peabody,” which cooked up another $5.4 million. It has earned $47.4 million domestically to date.
By the weekend's close, “Speed” will likely earn around a lower-than-expected $18 million. “Peabody,” with a broader family audience base, will likely earn north of $25 million, passing “Speed” for the top spot.
Meanwhile, Tyler Perry's latest, “The Single Moms Club,” landed in fourth place, debuting to $3.2 million.
Liam Neeson's “Non-Stop” also earned an estimated $3.2 million for fifth place, although it may end up swapping with “Moms” for fourth by Sunday.
“Non-Stop” has so far earned $61.3 million in North America.
Look for continuing box office updates throughout the weekend HitFix.