'Ride Along' rolls into No. 1 spot at box office
By DERRIK J. LANG, Associated Press
Jan 19, 2014 11:53 AM CST
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Chris Pine, left, and Kevin Costner in "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," an action thriller about a covert CIA analyst who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. "Ride Along" faces off this weekend against "Jack Ryan: Shadow...   (Associated Press)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Ride Along" arrived in first place at the weekend box office.

The buddy cop comedy featuring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube debuted with $41.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The strong opening for "Ride Along" marks the biggest opening for a film released during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend and puts it on track to top the $46.1 million record set by "Cloverfield" in 2008 for the biggest opening of January.

Universal's Navy SEAL drama "Lone Survivor" starring Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster earned $23.2 million in second place in its second weekend in wide release.

Open Road Films' animated film "The Nut Job" featuring the voice of Will Arnett opened in third place with $20.5 million.

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