That’s a killer debut, Denzel Washington.

The Equalizer, an update of the 1980s TV drama with Washington as a cinematic vigilante, took out the competition with a $35 million opening weekend, according to studio estimates from ticket sales firm Rentrak.

It’s not only one of the Oscar-nominated actor’s top bows — behind 2007’s American Gangster ($43.6 million) and 2012’s Safe House ($40.1 million) — but also ranks first for

Actor Idris Elba of poses at the Guess Portrait Studio during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Larry Busacca—Getty Images)

“No Good Deed,” a thriller from Sony Corp. (6758) starring Idris Elba, opened in first place in theaters over the weekend, toppling Walt Disney Co.’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

“No Good Deed” collected $24.5 million in U.S. and Canadian cinemas, according to an e-mailed statement today from Rentrak Corp. (RENT) “Dolphin Tale