LOS ANGELES -- The creature-feature "Cloverfield" became the first monster hit released in 2008, debuting with $41 million, a record opening for January, according to studio estimates Sunday. Paramount's tale of a giant reptile causing chaos in New York City surpassed the $35.9 million premiere weekend of the "Star Wars" special edition in 1997, the previous best for January.

Opening in second-place was 20th Century Fox's romantic comedy "27 Dresses," starring Katherine Heigl as a perpetual bridesmaid. It pulled in $22.4 million.

The weekend's other new wide release, the crime comedy "Mad Money," with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes plotting a Federal Reserve Bank heist, opened at No. 7 with $7.7 million.

Here are the best selling movies of the week.

  MOVIE                         TICKET SALES
     Cloverfield                         $41
     27 Dresses                          $22.4
     The Bucket List                     $15.2
     Juno                                $10.3
     National Treasure: Book of Secrets   $8.1
     First Sunday                         $7.8
     Mad Money                            $7.7
     Alvin and the Chipmunks              $7
     I Am Legend                          $5.1
     Atonement                            $4.8  

Estimated sales, in millions of dollars, according to Media By Numbers LLC.