‘The Croods’ debuts on top at US box office

The Croods has debuted at the number one spot at the US box office, earning $44.7m over the weekend.

The DreamWorks animated film tells the story of the first prehistoric family embarking on a journey to find a new home, with the help of a smart nomad named Guy, when their cave is destroyed.

Emma Stone, Nicholas Cage, Ryan Reynolds and Catherine Keener lend their voices in the prehistoric adventure.

The Croods is followed by Olympus Has Fallen, taking in $30.5m in second place.

Olympus Has Fallen follows a former Secret Service agent who must save the White House from terrorists, and stars Morgan Freeman, Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart.

Both new releases knocked Oz The Great and Powerful, which topped the US box office two weekends in a row, to third place with $22m. Its total earnings now are $177.5m.

After its limited release last weekend, Spring Breakers made a huge jump from 27th to sixth place, taking in $5m.

Spring Breakers – starring James Franco, James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine – follows four college girls who rob a restaurant in order to pay for their spring break vacation in Florida. After landing in jail for their robbery, the girls are bailed out by a drug dealer and takes them in.

Halle Berry’s thriller The Call slips from two to four with $8.7m, followed by new Tina Fey-Paul Rudd comedy Admission with $6.4m in fifth place.

Jack the Giant Slayer is now in eighth place with $2.9m. Its total earnings are $59m.

The fantasy-adventure film knocks last weekend’s eighth-placed Silver Linings Playbook out of the top ten list.

The Oscar-winning film takes the 11th spot, adding $1.6m to its total earnings of $127.1m.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Identity Thief and Snitch round up the top ten.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) The Croods – $44.7 million
2. (-) Olympus Has Fallen – $30.5 million
3. (1) Oz The Great and Powerful – $22 million
4. (2) The Call – $8.7 million
5. (-) Admission – $6.4 million
6. (27) Spring Breakers – $5 million
7. (3) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – $4.2 million
8. (4) Jack the Giant Slayer – $2.9 million
9. (5) Identity Thief – $2.5 million
10. (6) Snitch – $1.9 million