Mark Wahlberg stars in the genre pic, which marks Gibson's first directorial effort in nearly a decade. Elsewhere, Steven Soderbergh's artsy haunted house thriller 'Presence' opened in 1,750 cinemas.

Elsewhere, "Mufasa" holds strong at second, "Presence" makes its box office debut, and "The Brutalist" expands to maintain its footing in the top 10.

Despite the turbulence, Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk” managed to open No. 1 at the box office with a modest $12 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's thriller 'Flight Risk' will lead another quiet January weekend at the box office.

Like its fellow January release “Den of Thieves: Pantera,” “Flight Risk” follows the Lionsgate blueprint of being a low budget thrill ride financed through slate deals, co-production partnerships and foreign sales that will allow it to clear a low break-even point.

Flight Risk,” an action thriller directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg as a balding, unhinged pilot, landed in first place with $12 million from 3,161 North American theaters in its opening weekend.

Despite a notable January slump, the box office still saw some promising contenders this weekend with director Mel Gibson’s action-thriller Flight Risk topping the charts. Although Gibson’s sixth directorial effort was generally panned by critics,

Mel Gibson's new action film "Flight Risk" has topped the North American box office, taking in an estimated $12 million on a slow winter weekend, industry analysts said Sunday.

Critics lambasted it and audiences didn't grade it much better. But despite the turbulence, Mel Gibson's 'Flight Risk' managed to open No. 1 at the box office.