LOS ANGELES — "Where the Wild Things Are" proved a bigger hit with adult audiences than family crowds as the adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book debuted at No. 1 with $32.5 million.

Overture Films earned the No. 2 spot with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler's vengeance thriller "Law Abiding Citizen," which debuted with $21.3 million. Expanding into wider release, Paramount's low-budget horror sensation "Paranormal Activity" moved up to No. 3 with $20.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com.

1. "Where the Wild Things Are," $32.5 million.

2. "Law Abiding Citizen," $21.3 million.

3. "Paranormal Activity," $20.2 million.

4. "Couples Retreat," $17.9 million.

5. "The Stepfather," $12.3 million.

6. "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," $8.1 million.

7. "Zombieland," $7.8 million.

8. "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" in 3-D, $3 million.

9. "Surrogates," $1.92 million.

10. "The Invention of Lying," $1.9 million.