Scream VI scared up a franchise-best $44.5 million from 3,675 theaters at the box office, easily enough to win the weekend.

The Paramount and Spyglass film — earned strong exits and received a B+ CinemaScore — was fueled by moviegoers between the ages of 18 and 34, and particularly by those between the ages of 18 and 24. The gender mix was even.

The last Scream film, released in January 2022, opened to $30 million domestically in an impressive showing for the pandemic era. The biggest North American start of the franchise belongs to 2000’s Scream 3 ($34.7 million), not adjusted for inflation.

Scream VI, which cost a reported $33 million to make before marketing, follows survivors of last year’s installment as they leave Woodsboro for New York City. Unfortunately, the menacing killer Ghostface isn’t far behind. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who run Radio Silence Productions with Chad Villella, returned to direct.

Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere and Courteney Cox star alongside franchise newbies Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra and Samara Weaving.

MGM and Michael B. Jordan’s Creed III will come in a strong No. 2 with a sophomore gross of $27.2 million from 4,007 locations for a respectable decline of 53 percent and enough to jump the $100 million mark in just 10 days at the domestic box office. The film finished Sunday with domestic tally of $101.4 million.

Both Scream VI and Creed III stomped all over Sony’s sci-fi dinosaur pic 65, which opened in third place with roughly $12 million from 3,405 theaters after getting pummeled by bad reviews and a C+ CinemaScore (the pic did better than expected, but those expectations weren’t great to begin with).

65 and Scream VI are playing to the same audience with Scream VI prevailing. Creed III is attracting both younger and older adults to the ring.

Directed by A Quiet Place writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, 65 stars Adam Driver as an astronaut who crash-lands on a mysterious planet, only to realize that he has become marooned on Earth 65 million years ago. With just a single opportunity for salvation, Mills and the sole other survivor, played by Ariana Greenblatt, must traverse an uncharted landscape infested with dinosaurs and other dangerous prehistoric beasts in a struggle for survival.

The Sony pic cost a reported $45 million to make and was co-financed by Bron Studios and TSG.

The third nationwide release of the weekend is Focus Features’ heartwarming sports comedy Champions, starring Woody Harrelson as a minor-league basketball coach who is court-ordered to manage a team of disabled players. The movie is based on the 2018 award-winning Spanish film Campeones, which was released by Universal Pictures International. 

Champions earned an A CinemaScore opened in sixth-place with $5.2 million from 3,030 theaters. More than 60 percent of ticket buyers were over the age of 35, including 21 percent over 55.

More to come.

March 12, 7:10 a.m.: Updated with revised grosses.