'Wreck It Ralph' Weathers Hurricane Sandy, Earns $49.1 Million

Ralph shows his softer side.

Movies Making Money

Pelted by Hurricane Sandy outside and the presidential election inside, the only place people could find respite this weekend was in movie theaters. Disney's new animated adventure Wreck It Ralph took advantage, earning the top spot at the box office with $49.1 million.

Read: 'Argo' Takes Top Box Office Spot With $12.4 Million

Featuring the voice talents of stars like John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and Jane Lynch, Wreck It Ralph follows a video game villain who decides he doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore.

With a take of just under $50 million, the arcade throwback has the highest grossing debut ever for an animated Disney movie. Not including Pixar, of course.

In second place this weekend was the critically acclaimed thriller Flight with $25 million. The film stars Denzel Washington as a boozy pilot who manages to guide a commercial airliner out of a tragedy, but finds himself in the hotseat during the ensuing investigation.

Read: 'Paranormal Activity 4' Scores $30 Million At Box Office

Making a decent splash in third place was The Man With The Iron Fists, the kung fu flick directed by rapper RZA. Boasting a cast that includes Russel Crowe, Lucy Liu and RZA himself, the film opened with $8.2 million.

Rounding out the top five at the box office this weekend was Ben Affleck's Argo with $10.2 million ($75 million total), followed by Taken 2 with $6 million ($125.7 million).

Read: Your Favorite TV And Movie Casts, Then And Now