By JESSICA HERNDON
AP Film Writer
LOS ANGELES - It took in less than the weekend estimates of $96.2 million, but "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" was still the weekend's box office hero, setting the record for the largest domestic April debut with a solid $95 million.
The comic-book-adapted sequel, starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, continues the massive success of Disney and Marvel's superhero franchise.
Paramount's biblical epic "Noah," featuring performances by Russell Crowe in the title role, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, dropped drastically in its second week. After debuting with $44 million, it earned only $17 million domestically. But overall, it has still earned $72.4 million domestically.
In the world of young adult adaptations, Lionsgate's sci-fi thriller "Divergent," starring Shailene Woodley, ranked No. 3 with $13 million. It has now gained more than $114 million stateside after its third week in theaters.
The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Monday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Rentrak, are:
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier," Disney, $95,023,721, 3,938 locations, $24,130 average, $95,023,721, 1 week.
"Noah," Paramount, $17,045,744, 3,571 locations, $4,773 average, $72,386,905, 2 weeks.
"Divergent," Lionsgate, $12,976,413, 3,631 locations, $3,574 average, $114,005,553, 3 weeks.
"God's Not Dead," Freestyle Releasing, $7,762,633, 1,758 locations, $4,416 average, $32,558,187, 3 weeks.
"Muppets Most Wanted," Disney, $6,145,357, 3,052 locations, $2,014 average, $42,002,808, 3 weeks.
"The Grand Budapest Hotel," Fox Searchlight, $6,115,230, 1,263 locations, $4,842 average, $33,195,657, 5 weeks.
"Mr. Peabody And Sherman," 20th Century Fox, $5,131,458, 2,931 locations, $1,751 average, $102,033,383, 5 weeks.
"Sabotage," Open Road, $1,999,758, 2,486 locations, $804 average, $8,858,343, 2 weeks.
"Need for Speed," Disney, $1,807,160, 1,779 locations, $1,016 average, $40,810,745, 4 weeks.
"Non-Stop," Universal, $1,793,330, 1,724 locations, $1,040 average, $88,104,120, 6 weeks.
"Bad Words," Focus Features, $1,613,277, 1,074 locations, $1,502 average, $5,941,681, 4 weeks.
"300: Rise of an Empire," Warner Bros., $1,466,274, 1,555 locations, $943 average, $104,023,926, 5 weeks.
"The Lego Movie," Warner Bros., $1,402,281, 1,350 locations, $1,039 average, $250,608,584, 9 weeks.
"Cesar Chavez," Lionsgate, $962,077, 664 locations, $1,449 average, $4,598,172, 2 weeks.
"Frozen," Disney, $399,877, 321 locations, $1,246 average, $398,938,890, 20 weeks.
"Frankie and Alice," Lionsgate, $350,647, 171 locations, $2,051 average, $350,647, 1 week.
"Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club," Lionsgate, $324,546, 425 locations, $764 average, $15,659,828, 4 weeks.
"Lunchbox," Sony Pictures Classics, $320,698, 103 locations, $3,114 average, $1,330,840, 6 weeks.
"Son of God," 20th Century Fox, $305,629, 481 locations, $635 average, $58,545,275, 6 weeks.
"Le Weekend," Music Box Films, $290,620, 106 locations, $2,742 average, $841,638, 4 weeks.