The sequel to the 2008 action thriller starring Liam Neeson, 60, action thriller earned a whopping $50 million in its opening weekend, earning it the top spot at the box office.
"This so exceeded our expectations going in," Chris Aronson, executive vice president of domestic distribution at 20th Century Fox, told Reuters. "The come in at $50 million is really remarkable, and a testament to this character that Liam has created."
Last week's box office winner, Hotel Transylvania was knocked down to second place with $26.3 million. The animated family film features the voice talents of Selena Gomez, 20, Adam Sandler, 46, and Andy Samberg, 34.
Musical comedy Pitch Perfect starring Anna Kendrick, 27, and Rebel Wilson, 26, finished in third place with $14.7 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Looper (No. 4, $12.2 million), Tim Burton's Frankenweenie (No. 5, $11.5 million), Jake Gyllenhall and Michael Pena's End of Watch (No. 6, $4 million), Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake's Trouble With the Curve (No. 7, $3.9 million), Jennifer Lawrence's House at the End of the Street (No. 8, $3.7 million), Ellen DeGeneres' Finding Nemo 3D (No. 9, $1.6 million) and Milla Jovovich's Resident Evil: Retribution (No. 10, $1.2 million).