Box office update: 'Riddick' wins Friday with $7.3M; One Direction plummets

Vin Diesel’s passion project Riddick isn’t earning Fast & Furious-sized numbers, but the sci-fi sequel to 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick managed a fair performance on its first day in theaters — and one that ensures the star his second number one debut this year. Riddick took in $7.3 million on Friday, which should yield an opening weekend of about $18 to 19 million. While that’s substantially lower than Chronicles‘ $24.3 million debut, the stakes for each film were quite different: Chronicles cost $105 million to make, while Riddick was independently financed for $38 million. Distributor Universal shouldn’t be too disappointed.

In second place, Lee Daniels’ The Butler pulled in $2.4 million on its fourth Friday. The Weinstein-backed drama may earn about $9 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period and finish the frame with a $92 million total. We’re the Millers finished close behind with $2.3 million, giving the film a $118.2 million total and making it Jason Sudeikis’ highest-grossing film ever ahead of Horrible Bosses. The R-rated comedy is headed to an $8 million weekend and $124 million total by Sunday night.

Spanish-language dramedy Instructions Not Included, which broke out over Labor Day weekend with an incredible $10.4 million four-day debut from just 347 theaters,pulled in $1.6 million from 717 theaters on its second Friday. The Eugenio Derbez vehicle shouldn’t be too negatively affected by the beginning of NFL football on Sunday, and it could earn about $6 million over the weekend, giving it $18.2 million after only ten days.

One Direction: This Is Us plummeted 87 percent from its first Friday to its second, dropping from $8.9 million to $1.2 million. The concert doc may finish just short of $4 million in its second weekend, giving it a surprisingly low $23.5 million total after ten days. (Sony expected the film to earn about $24 to 25 million over Labor Day weekend after the its opening Friday). Fortunately for Sony, This Is Us cost just $10 million to produce.

1. Riddick – $7.3 million

2. Lee Daniels’ The Butler – $2.4 million

3. We’re The Millers – $2.3 million

4. Instructions Not Included – $1.6 million

5. One Direction: This Is Us – $1.1 million

Check back tomorrow for the full box office report.