'District 9' Takes #1 Spot at Box Office with $37M

The acclaimed sci-fi thriller "District 9" has given Hollywood a late-summer box office boost.



The alien saga produced by "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson led the weekend with a $37 million debut..



Another sci-fi tale, the romance "The Time Traveler's Wife," opened a solid No. 2 with $19.2 million..



The two movies led a rare wave of new wide releases for mid-August, when Hollywood's summer output normally is petering out..



The weekend's other debuts: The used-car comedy "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard," opening at No. 6 with $5.4 million; the animated adventure "Ponyo," coming in at No. 9 with $3.5 million; and the teen rock 'n' roll tale "Bandslam," which tanked at No. 13 with just $2.3 million..

.