From director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night), Paramount’s Primate kicks off the year with something a little different: a killer chimp slasher movie.

How did this rabid chimpanzee fare at the box office in its debut weekend? Primate had a strong start here in the United States, scaring up $11.3 million across 2,964 U.S. theaters.

Primate debuted in the #2 spot on the U.S. charts, behind Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Worldwide, the rated “R” Primate debuted to $13.4 million at the box office.

The reported production budget...