!["Oz the Great and Powerful" debuted with $80 million in its first weekend of release.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/91/e9/91e982ca785e69e69514c9d35159d569.jpg?itok=OMHAvoRp ""Oz the Great and Powerful" debuted with $80 million in its first weekend of release.")
The return to the Land of Oz proved to be a magical risk for Disney. Sam Raimi's "Oz the Great and Powerful" rolled out to an impressive $80 million dollar opening weekend to take the top spot at the weekend box office. Box Office Mojo reported the "Wizard of Oz" prequel became the biggest opening of 2013 after the movie studios released their preliminary numbers on Sunday. The opening weened for "Oz the Great and Powerful" is also the third-highest opening ever for the month of March, and the fifth-highest ever during the pre-Summer months.
Coming in second place was Warner Bros.' "Jack the Giant Slayer", which added an additional $10 million in its second weekend of release. In third place is "Identity Thief", which is currently the highest grossing movie of 2013 as we make our way deeper into the madness of March. The Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy comedy brought in $6.3 million this past weekend and has earned about $117 million in its theatrical run.
The Terrance Howard and Colin Farrell crime drama "Dead Man Down" got off to a disappointing start, premiering in fourth place with just over $5.3 million. It was just enough to slip past fifth place finisher, "Snitch", which grossed $5.1 million.
Any hope that "Oz the Great and Powerful" could repeat the long-lasting success of "Hunger Games" around the same time last year could be short lived. Next weekend Steve Carell and Jim Carrey team up for "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" and Halle Berry is a 911 operator turned hero in "The Call".
1. "Oz The Great and Powerful" (Disney): $80,278,000
2. "Jack the Giant Slayer" (Warner Bros): $10,020,000
3. "Identity Thief" (Universal): $6,319,000
4. "Dead Man Down" (Film District): $5,350,000
5. "Snitch" (LionsGate): $5,100,000
These numbers are estimates according to Box Office Mojo. The actual numbers will be released on Monday March 11, 2013.
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