Safe House Proves Denzel Still a Box Office Draw

The spy thriller rakes in $39 million opening weekend

After nearly a two-year absence on the big screen, Denzel Washington shows why he's on the short list of A-list actors. The action thriller Safe House raked in $39 million on it's opening weekend, coming in at #2 right under the syrupy romantic drama The Vow, which made $41 million.

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In Safe House, Washington plays Tobin Frost, a rogue ex-CIA agent who goes on the run on with a rookie agent (Ryan Reynolds). According to Cinema Score, 72% of moviegoers said Washington was the reason for buying their ticket.  Safe House is Washington's second-strongest opening behind American Gangster, which had a $43.6 million debut in 2007.  Below is box office report (courtesy of Box Office Mojo) for the weekend:

1.  The Vow (Sony Screen Gems)  $41.7m

2.  Safe House (Universal) $39.3m

3.  Journey 2:The Mysterious Island (Warner Bros.) $27.5m

4.  Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace (Fox)  $23m

5.  Chronicle (Fox) $12.3m

6.  The Woman in Black (CBS) $10.3m

7.  The Grey (ORF) $5m

8.  Big Miracle (Universal) $3.9m

9.  The Descendants (Fox Searchlight) $3.5m

10. Underworld Awakening (Sony Screen Gems) $2.5m

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