Warner Bros.’ mismatched-buddy comedy “Cop Out” edged past Overture Films’ horror remake “The Crazies” to be the top new movie playing nationwide this weekend, but Paramount Pictures’ thriller “Shutter Island” remained No. 1 with a comfortable lead.

“Cop Out,” which stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, sold a studio-estimated $18.6 million in tickets in the U.S. and Canada, while “The Crazies,” a remake of the 1973 George Romero of the same name, took in $16.5 million. That’s a solid opening for “The Crazies,” which cost $19 million to produce, and a decent start for the $37-million “Cop Out.”

Ticket sales for “Cop Out” grew by 30% from Friday to Saturday, a good amount for an R-rated film, while “Crazies” grosses grew by only 6%. That’s a sign that audience word-of-mouth may be better for the Bruce Willis comedy, despite poor reviews.

“Shutter Island” undeniably benefited from healthy word-of-mouth, as ticket sales dropped 46% on its second weekend, slightly less than average. The Martin Scorsese-directed adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s book, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, grossed $22.2 million from Friday through Sunday, bringing its domestic total to a healthy $75.1 million. The movie cost just under $100 million to produce, according to one person familiar with the budget, but $75 million after tax credits, the studio said. It’s sure to end up with ticket sales of well over $100 million at its current pace.

– Ben Fritz

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