LOS ANGELES — "Riddick" is seeing light at the box office.


The sci-fi thriller starring Vin Diesel as an intergalactic criminal who can see the in the dark debuted in first place with $18.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.


"Riddick" is the third installment in the series, following the $11.6 million debut of "Pitch Black" in 2000 and the $24.3 million launch of "The Chronicles of Riddick" in 2004.


"Lee Daniels' The Butler" came in second place with $8.9 million in its fourth weekend at the box office.


The Spanish-language comedy "Instructions Not Included" earned third place in its second weekend with $8.1 million.




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  • First movie to take in $100 million at the box office during its first weekend in theaters


    "Spider-Man," 2002




  • First movie to receive an X rating


    "Greetings," 1968




  • First non-erotic movie to feature full-frontal male nudity


    "Dante's Inferno," 1911




  • First major motion picture to use CGI


    "Westworld," 1973




  • Highest-grossing movie that never hit No. 1 at the box office


    "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," 2002 ($241.4 million)




  • First movie to show a toilet flushing


    "Psycho," 1960




  • First movie to gross $1 billion worldwide


    "Titanic," 1997




  • Highest-grossing movie on Christmas Day


    "Sherlock Holmes" 2009 ($24.6 million)




  • First color movie released in 3-D


    "House of Wax," 1953




  • First movie to have a score written specifically for it


    "The Assassination of the Duke of Guise," 1908 (composed by Camille Saint-Saëns)




  • First Hollywood movie to be released on DVD


    "Twister," 1996




  • First actress to be paid $1 million for a role


    Elizabeth Taylor, 1963 (for "Cleopatra")




  • First film broadcast on a major television network in its original, uncut format


    "The Wizard of Oz," 1956 (on CBS)




  • First vampire movie


    "Nosferatu," 1922




  • First film to use synchronized dialogue


    "The Jazz Singer," 1927