Boosted by a Friday-the-13th launch, FilmDistrict’s low-budget scarer sequel “Insidious Chapter 2” beat expectations with an estimated $41.1 million, making it the largest opening in September for a horror film.

“Insidious 2,” which cost just $5 million from producer Jason Blum’s Blumhouse shingle, beat the month’s previous scarer record holdover, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” which opened with $30.5 million in 2005. The FilmDistrict-distributed pic has the second-largest overall opening in September, behind only last year’s toon “Hotel Transylvania” ($42.5 million).

Total domestic box office continued to outpace last year, up 22% over the same frame in 2012.

Internationally, Sony’s “The Smurfs 2” claimed top ranking, with an estimated $17.6 million, of which China contributed $8 million during its opening weekend. The live-action toon hybrid now has totaled $220 million overseas, for a worldwide take north of $288 million.

The stellar domestic opening for “Insidious 2” is thanks to a scary-good opening day gross, which accounted for nearly half of the film’s three-day tally. Pic fell a steeper-than-usual 34% Friday-Saturday, a result largely due to midnight grosses and the effect of Friday the 13th.

SEE ALSO: Film Review: ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’

Also beating expectations, Relativity Media’s Robert DeNiro-Michelle Pfeiffer dramedy “The Family” estimated $14.5 million through Sunday. The adult-skewing film cost a manageable $30 million, co-financed by Relativity and EuropaCorp, which is handling overseas distribution.

“This was a counterprogramming play,” noted Relativity distrib exec Kyle Davies. “Our plan always was to go for an older audience.”

“Insidious 2” scored ‘B+’ CinemaScore, compared to its predecessor’s ‘B’ rating. “The Family” received a ‘C.’

SEE ALSO: James Wan Haunts ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ Premiere

In third place, down 63% in its second frame, Universal’s “Riddick” grossed an estimated $7 million, lifting its domestic cume to a respectable $31.3 million.

Meanwhile, the Weinstein Co.’s seasonal standout, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” crossed the $100 million domestic mark over the weekend, earning $5.6 million through Sunday. Pic fell just 34% in its fifth weekend.

And Sony’s extended version of music doc “One Direction: This Is Us,” with 20 extra minutes, earned $2.4 million (down 41%) in its third outing. The Sony film has grossed nearly $27 million, while the studio’s summer comedy “This Is the End” crossed $100 million domestically, thanks to a late-inning re-release.

Domestic

Film (Weeks in release): 3-day gross*; Locations; Per-theater average; Cume*; Percentage change

Insidious Chapter 2 (1): $41.1; 3,049; $13,463; $41.1; — The Family (1): $14.5; 3,091; $4,691; $14.5; — Riddick (2): $7.0; 3,117; $2,250; $31.3; -63% Lee Daniels’ The Butler (5): $5.6; 3,239; $1,723; $100.0; -34% We’re the Millers (6): $5.4; 3,238; $1,672; $131.6; -30% Instructions Not Included (3): $4.3; 933; $4,555; $26.6; -48% Planes (6): $3.1; 2,739; $1,119; $83.0; -26% One Direction: This Is Us (3): $2.4; 2,300; $1,043; $26.9; -41% Elysium (6): $2.1; 1,720; $1,192; $88.4; -35% Percy Jackson … Monsters (6): $1.8; 1,638; $1,114; $62.0; -25%

Overseas

Film (Weeks in release): 3-day gross*; Territories; Screens; Int’l cume*; Global cume*; Percentage change

The Smurfs (7): $17.6; 70; 13,000; $220.0; $288.3; +141% White House Down (12): $13.0; 31; 4,740; $98.0; $171.0; +6% Planes (6): $10.7; 40; n/a; $55.8; $138.8; +53% Riddick (2): $9.6; 39; n/a; $22.0; $53.3; +30% We’re the Millers (5): $9.0; 46; 3,600; $69.7; $201.3; -9%

*in millions of $