‘Star Trek’ boldly goes to top of US box office

This undated publicity film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, Zachary Quinto, left, as Spock and Chris Pine as Kirk in a scene in the movie, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. The three astronauts in the International Space Station were offered a sneak peak of the movie days before it opens Thursday, May 16, 2013 on Earth. AP/Paramount Pictures, Zade Rosenthal

LOS ANGELES—”Star Trek: Into Darkness” soared at warp speed to the top of the US box office, ousting blockbuster sequel “Iron Man 3,” industry estimates showed Sunday.

The latest installment of the cult science fiction phenomenon starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto took in $70.6 million on its debut weekend, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

That’s roughly double what runner-up “Iron Man 3″—the comic book superhero flick featuring Robert Downey Jr.—made with $35.2 million.

“The Great Gatsby,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the literary classic, took third place with $23.4 million.

Fourth, and far behind at $3.1 million, was action-comedy “Pain and Gain,” about bodybuilders caught up in a botched kidnapping scheme.

Fifth place went to stone-age cartoon “The Croods” at $2.8 million followed by “42”—a biopic about trailblazing black baseball star Jackie Robinson—hat made $2.7 million.

“Mud,” a coming-of-age story with Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, took seventh place with $2.3 million, trailed by “Oblivion,” the post-apocalyptic action flick featuring Tom Cruise, with $2.2 million.

“Peeples” starring Craig Robinson as a boyfriend who initially fails to impress the family of his girlfriend, played by Kerry Washington, came in a close ninth with just under $2.2 million.

Rounding out the top 10 was the star-studded comedy “The Big Wedding”—featuring Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton and Robin Williams—at $1.1 million.