The $24 Million Boy

Movieline is pleased to once again present Weekend Receipts, soon to be retitled Zac Efron EmpireWatch. While we work to clear that with the young megastar's agent, please read on for a closer look at his latest triumph as well as the also-rans -- including a surprisingly out-of-shape Jason Statham -- left wheezing in the distance.

1. 17 Again

Gross: $24.065 million Cume: $24.065 million

Screens: 3,255 PSA: $7,393

Weeks: 1 Change: n/a

As predicted here on Friday (and all but confirmed yesterday), Zac Efron achieved his second number-one opening in six months, unequivocally affirming his place as Hollywood's reigning boy prince. Or maybe "boy" isn't fair to Efron, who, at 21, is quickly approaching the career crossroads at which childish things are left behind and the inevitable, war-bride-capturing rites of Scientological passage take priority. Welcome to the big time, kiddo!

2. State of Play

Gross: $14.099 million Cume: $14.099 million

Screens: 2,803 PSA: $5.030

Weeks: 1 Change: n/a

Speaking of adults, America's most underprivileged cinemagoing class received the movie equivalent of a hot meal and a shower this weekend with State of Play. And it didn't even matter that the meal was leftovers pilfered from a refrigerator on the Universal lot, or that the shower ran cold after an hour. In a climate like this, you take what you're given, and famished audiences ate more Crowe than anyone could have expected. Be reassured.

3. Monsters Vs. Aliens

Gross: $12.9 million Cume: $162.723 million

Screens: 3,662 PSA: $3,523

Weeks: 3 Change: -40.9%

Reese Witherspoon's 30-foot-long legs (and Jeffrey Katzenberg's $15 tickets) carried the year's biggest hit to date through another strong weekend.

4. Hannah Montana The Movie

Gross: $12.666 million Cume: $56.133 million

Screens: 3,118 PSA: $4,062

Weeks: 2 Change: -60.8%

Miley Cyrus and her fans bravely stood against her slandering at the vulgar whims of Jamie Foxx, halting the week-two slide at 60% -- right where they want her for the Miley-vs.-Foxx battle approaching when The Soloist opens this Friday. Movieline's just-painted Dept. of Bookmaking and Wagers will lay odds and begin accepting your bets tomorrow.

6. Crank: High Voltage

Gross: $6.510 million Cume: $6.510 million

Screens: 2,223 PSA: $2,928

Weeks: 1 Change: n/a

A shattering performance by any account, scraping together barely more than half of Fast and Furious's fifth-place, $12.2 million weekend gross. As with the first film in the soon-to-be-straight-to-DVD series, Jason Statham's artificial heart needed massive influxes of cash to continue ticking. He didn't get it. Feeling guilty much?

[Data: Box Office Mojo]