In a surprise to no one, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity took the top box office spot this weekend with a record-setting $55.5m opening. In a month mostly known for horror films and in a year where big-budgeted sci-fi films underperformed, Gravity‘s $50m+ intake was a pleasant surprise for Warner Bros. Then again, a huge fraction of that massive number is due to marketing and critics (myself included) expressing the importance of experiencing Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s space adventure in 3D/IMAX 3D. The weekend’s other major release, Runner Runner, made a moderate $7.6m for the 3rd spot behind last week’s box office king Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2‘s $21.5m. Prisoners‘ $5.7m and Rush‘s $4.4m rounded out the Top 5.

With Robert Rodriguez’s Mexploitation film, Machete Kills, opening next week, will Gravity reign supreme, or will the prospect of seeing Michelle Rodriguez, Lady Gaga, Jessica Alba, Amber Heard, Alexa Vega, and Sofia Vergara engaged in a pillow fight be enough to take the top spot? We’ll find out next Monday, but for now, this weekend’s box office numbers are below.

1. Gravity – $55,550,000

2. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 – $21,500,000

3. Runner Runner – $7,600,000

4. Prisoners – $5,700,000

5. Rush – $4,408,280

6. Don Jon – $4,160,000

7. Baggage Claim – $4,125,000

8. Insidious Chapter 2 – $3,876,000

9. Pulling Strings – $2,500,000

10. Enough Said – $2,150,000

[via Rentrak]