Box Office: 'Rio' Earns $10.2 Mil; 'Scream 4' Rakes in $8 Mil Friday

Looking to repeat its stellar international launch, 20th Century Fox’s family film Rio topped the domestic box office Friday, grossing an estimated $10.2 million from 3,826 theaters. The 3D toon is headed toward a strong $37 million for the weekend.

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'Rio' Eyeing Weekend Win, 'Scream 4' Looking Strong

Overseas, the family film has grossed nearly $80 million in less than a week, the best performance of the year. Rio, costing a reasonable $90 million to produce, is benefiting from kids being out of school for spring break, both in the U.S. and overseas, and strong word-of-mouth. Toon received an A CinemaScore domestically.

Dimension Films’ Scream 4 grossed an estimated $8 million from 3,305 locations for the day to easily come in No. 2. Pic received a B- CinemaScore, a good grade for a horror film. Based on its opening day performance, the R-rated horror film should gross $20 million to $21 million for the weekend, below Dimension's projections, but still a solid start. Scream 4 is playing in more than 3,300 theaters.

Robert Redford also had a good day with his historical drama The Conspirator, which opened in far fewer locations, or 706 theaters. Roadside Attractions is distributing the film, starring Robin Wright and James McAvoy. Conspirator grossed an estimated $1.1 million on Friday to come in No. 10, putting it on course to earn as much as $4 million for the weekend, a win for Redford and Roadside.

Redford's film was made by Joe Ricketts' The American Film Company, whose mission is to produce historically accurate entertainment. Ricketts is the founder of Ameritrade.

Among holdovers, FilmDisrict's sleeper hit Insidious was the headline of the day, grossing an estimated $2.32 million on its third Friday and falling less than 30%, despite the entry of competitor Scream 4. Pic’s cume is $31.5 million, a boon considering the film cost under $1.5 million to produce.

Universal's family pic Hop is taking a big hit because of Rio, declining roughly 58% on Friday to an estimated $2.3 million. But Hop is still a win, and will likely finish the frame -- its third -- with a robust cume of more than $85 million.

Insidious and Hop essentially tied for No. 3, although Hop should finish ahead of Insidious for the weekend.

Tied on Friday at $2.1 million were Sony TriStar/FilmDistrict's Soul Surfer and Focus Features' Hanna. Soul Surfer’s cume is $14.7 million, while Hanna earned $18.1. Both films are entering their second weekend.

Warner Bros.' comedy Arthur continued to disappoint, also grossing $2.1 million in its second Friday for a cume of $17.5 million.