This weekend got off to a flying start, seeing a huge surge in box office ticket sales over the previous Friday.

Disney has to be the cash generating machine this year, now producing another big hit, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR. The film grossed an estimated 16.9 million on Friday, a phenomenal number for a sequel whose previous entries weren't even screened in cinemas. The niche market came out in droves and this will be a huge win for Disney over the weekend.

It wouldn't be late October without another Saw film. Debuting in second spot with an estimated 14.1 million, SAW V opened strongly and should see a good return over the weekend. This franchise generates huge box office relative to its budget, and given the strong Friday performance it's likely SAW VI will be greenlit by Sunday night by studio Lionsgate.

The remainder of the top 10 films pale in comparison to the top two breakouts. MAX PAYNE took a massive tumble, only earning an estimated 2.6 million on Friday. Not well reviewed or received, this film will likely disappear before long. PRIDE AND GLORY, another new opener this weekend earned an estimated 2.3 million. The Edward Norton-Colin Farrell crime drama failed to catch anyone's attention but it's possible that it may get its small 30 million budget back.

The remainder of the Top 10 for Friday are as follows:

BEVERLEY HILLS CHIHUAHUA (1.8M - 73M Total)
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (1.8M - 15M Total)
EAGLE EYE (1.6M - 84.4M Total)
W. (1.5M - 14.9M Total)
BODY OF LIES (1.2M - 28M Total)
QUARANTINE (0.8M - 27M Total)

The North American box office in total took in 44.8 million for the whole of Friday 24th October 2008.