"Noah" rises to top of box office with $44 million debut

After weathering a sea of controversy, "Noah" sailed into first place at the box office in its opening weekend.

Paramount's biblical epic starring Russell Crowe as the titular prophet debuted with $44 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The imaginative take on the tale of Noah's Ark from director Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan") led some religious groups to claim the story had been inaccurately portrayed and prompted Paramount to add a disclaimer to marketing materials noting that "artistic license has been taken" in telling the story.

The polarizing attention apparently paid off for "Noah," which features such additions to the well-known Bible story as angelic rock creatures and chic wardrobes for Noah and his family. Critics' reviews of the film have been mostly complimentary.

"It certainly feels like the film has really connected with both mainstream moviegoers who are looking for a really sophisticated film and those folks who really want to see a movie that honors their faith," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said "It's been a very interesting journey to get to this point, but it's definitely a spectacular launch."

"I think these biblical-themed movies are like the next frontier in Hollywood," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. "Hollywood hadn't cracked the code on a biblical movie that would have mainstream appeal. Now, I think they've figured it out. We may see a flood -- pun intended -- coming down the pipeline. We already have 'Heaven is for Real' and 'Exodus' slated for later this year."

Elsewhere at the box office, Lionsgate's teen science-fiction thriller "Divergent" starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James earned $26.5 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $95.3 million.

"Muppets Most Wanted," the globe-trotting Muppet sequel from Disney featuring Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais, came in third place with $11.4 million in its second weekend. The latest Muppet caper's total domestic haul is now at $33.2 million.

The weekend's other major new release, "Sabotage," flopped in the seventh spot with $5.3 million. The Open Road action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is the latest failure for the former California governor, whose "The Last Stand" and "Escape Plan" were box-office duds last year.