Movies: We Were Watching the "Watchmen" This Weekend

A 20 year journey to the silver screen ended in a number one debut for comic book adaptation "Watchmen" this weekend. Director Zack Snyder's new film collected an estimated $55.7 million making it the third best March debut behind "Ice Age 2" and another Zack Snyder film "300." There was hope in some circles that "Watchmen" would open higher but it is still a major win for a film that was once believed impossible to make.

Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" slid into a distant second place with $8.8 million for a cume of $76.5 million after it's third weekend.

Disney's "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" plummeted 78% and just barely hung on to the top ten finishing in ninth place with $2.8 million. It's cume stands at a disappointing $16.8 million.

"Slumdog Millionaire" fell 42% to fourth place with a weekend tally of $6.9 million and raising the Oscar winner's cume to $125.4 million. The Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader" reached the $30 million mark as it grossed an estimated $2 million.

Overall the box office was up a healthy 11% from last year continuing a successful first half of the year for Hollywood.

Chart is courtesy of Box Office Guru:

1	Watchmen	$ 55,655,000			3,611	1	$ 15,413	$ 55,655,000	Warner Bros.
2	Madea Goes to Jail	8,800,000	16,175,926	-45.6	2,151	3	4,091	76,505,000	Lionsgate
3	Taken	7,450,000	9,864,197	-24.5	3,016	6	2,470	118,049,000	Fox
4	Slumdog Millionaire	6,925,000	12,026,343	-42.4	2,890	17	2,396	125,441,000	Fox Searchlight
5	Paul Blart: Mall Cop	4,200,000	5,602,392	-25.0	2,558	8	1,642	133,643,000	Sony
6	He's Just Not That Into You	4,020,000	6,011,405	-33.1	2,445	5	1,644	84,647,000	Warner Bros.
7	Coraline	3,313,000	5,261,129	-37.0	1,959	5	1,691	65,680,000	Focus
8	Confessions of a Shopaholic	3,121,000	4,634,534	-32.7	2,290	4	1,363	38,356,000	Buena Vista
9	Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience	2,785,000	12,510,374	-77.7	1,276	2	2,183	16,791,000	Buena Vista
10	Fired Up	2,600,000	3,701,562	-29.8	1,798	3	1,446	13,360,000	Sony