Taking more than $1.813 million at the box office, the true story about efforts to smuggle Americans out of Iran during the hostage drama of 1979, was clearly the favourite movie at the weekend, according to figures released by the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
Coming in second was the new US comedy Bachelorette, which stars Aussies Rebel Wilson and Isla Fisher along with US stars Kirsten Dunst and Lizzy Caplan. Bachelorette, which is about a night before the wedding that goes wrong, took $841,263 on its debut weekend.
Another newcomer End of Watch, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena, debuted at No.3, earning $738,324 at the box office.
Taken 2 was pushed down to fourth place, but in four weeks the film has taken more than $18 million at Australian cinemas, while Paranormal Activity 4 sits at fifth place.
French comedy/drama The Intouchables continues its popularity at Aussie cinemas. A true story based on a friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic and his charismatic ex-con carer, the film sits at sixth place after five weeks in cinemas.
The screen version of Housos vs Authority debuted at seventh place, while sci-fi thriller Dredd finished eighth.
Tim Burton’s black-and-white animation Frankenweenie sits at ninth, while Oliver Stone’s drug-dealing drama Savages fell four places to 10th.