{":"Madea Goes To Jail" Locks Up No. 1 At Box Office:"}
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Prolific filmmaker Tyler Perry, whose comedies are a big hit with black women, scored the biggest opening of his career on Sunday as "Madea Goes to Jail" sold $41.1 million worth of tickets at the weekend box office in North America.
The film -- based on the actor-director-producer's most successful play -- arrested his usual fan base but also saw a huge boost among Hispanics and younger moviegoers, said its distributor Lionsgate. Perry remains a cult item among whites.
Perry, 39, dons drag to play Madea, a tough-talking, pistol-packing granny who is featured in many of his films and plays. His previous best opening was for his second film, "Madea's Family Reunion," which started with $30 million in 2006. Four of Perry's seven films have made their debut at No. 1.
The film -- based on the actor-director-producer's most successful play -- arrested his usual fan base but also saw a huge boost among Hispanics and younger moviegoers, said its distributor Lionsgate. Perry remains a cult item among whites.
Perry, 39, dons drag to play Madea, a tough-talking, pistol-packing granny who is featured in many of his films and plays. His previous best opening was for his second film, "Madea's Family Reunion," which started with $30 million in 2006. Four of Perry's seven films have made their debut at No. 1.
