( EW.com ) -- Liam Neeson , fighter of wolves , may be the closest thing the box office has to an alpha male . The 59-year-old actor 's latest thriller , `` The Grey , '' debuted in first place with a better-than-expected $ 20 million , according to studio estimates . That places the R-rated film just below the openings of Neeson 's `` Taken '' ( $ 24.7 million ) and `` Unknown '' ( $ 21.9 million ) . It also represents a major win for Open Road Films , the new distributor formed by AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas . Although `` The Grey '' cost a reported $ 34 million to produce , Open Road acquired the wilderness-survival movie for just $ 5 million . The well-reviewed but admittedly harsh film earned a middling `` B- '' rating from CinemaScore audiences . According to the market-research firm , 71 percent of the audience was at least 25 years old . Of particular interest , 67 percent of moviegoers listed Neeson as the reason they purchased a ticket to `` The Grey , '' confirming the actor 's drawing power . Neeson is now taking suggestions on what animals he should confront next . My vote : Alvin and the Chipmunks . The weekend 's two other new movies , `` One for the Money '' and `` Man on a Ledge , '' witnessed less impressive debuts . Both films were promoted with $ 6 ticket offers through online coupon sites ( Groupon for `` One for the Money '' and LivingSocial for `` Man on a Ledge '' ) . Also , with Lionsgate 's recent acquisition of Summit Entertainment , the studio was essentially competing against itself -- `` One for the Money '' is a Lionsgate release , while `` Man on a Ledge '' is from Summit . `` One for the Money , '' a PG-13 action comedy starring Katherine Heigl as a bail-enforcement agent , landed in third place with $ 11.8 million . That 's slightly better than what many industry experts predicted , but still represents Heigl 's worst opening since breaking out in 2007â€²s `` Knocked Up . '' There 's a noticeable downward trajectory to the star 's recent box-office performance , with each of her last four films opening to a smaller amount than the movie before it . `` One for the Money '' drew an audience that was 75 percent female , and CinemaScore participants gave it a `` B- '' grade . `` Man on a Ledge '' underwhelmed with $ 8.3 million -- enough for fifth place . The PG-13 thriller stars `` Avatar 's '' Sam Worthington , who has yet to prove he can open a film without being surrounded by big-budget special effects . According to CinemaScore , only 17 percent of audiences listed Worthington as their reason for buying a ticket . If there 's a bright spot for `` Ledge , '' it 's that the movie received a `` B+ '' rating from CinemaScore audiences . Among holdovers , `` Underworld : Awakening '' fell 51 percent for $ 12.5 million . That 's actually the best second-weekend hold for any `` Underworld '' movie . After 10 days , `` Awakening '' has grossed an estimated $ 45.1 million -- more than any of its predecessors had in the same time frame . The World War II action film `` Red Tails '' dropped 45 percent for $ 10.4 million , bringing its two-week total to $ 33.8 million . Also , `` Mission : Impossible -- Ghost Protocol '' crossed $ 200 million on Friday . After 45 days in theaters , `` Ghost Protocol '' has earned $ 202.6 million and is neck and neck with `` Mission : Impossible II , '' which collected $ 201.7 million in the same period . It 'll be a nail-biter as `` Ghost Protocol '' attempts to pass `` Mission : Impossible II 's '' final tally of $ 215.4 million to become the franchise 's top earner . In limited release , `` Albert Nobbs , '' starring Oscar-nominated Glenn Close and Janet McTeer , debuted to a mediocre $ 770,000 from 245 theaters . A number of Best Picture nominees expanded this weekend to take advantage of their recent nominations . `` The Descendants , '' which increased its theater count from 560 to 2,001 , jumped 176 percent to pull in $ 6.6 million . Martin Scorsese 's `` Hugo '' rose 143 percent for $ 2.3 million . And the front-runner `` The Artist '' earned $ 3.3 million , pushing its cumulative total to $ 16.7 million . 1 . The Grey -- $ 20.0 mil . 2 . Underworld : Awakening -- $ 12.5 mil . 3 . One for the Money -- $ 11.8 mil . 4 . Red Tails -- $ 10.4 mil . 5 . Man on a Ledge -- $ 8.3 mil . See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
` ` The Grey '' landed in first place with a better - than - expected $ 20 million . ` ` Two for the Money '' landed in third place with $ 11.8 million . ` ` Man on a Ledge '' opened with $ 8.3 million -- enough for fifth place .