Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has proved its mettle by dominating the box office on its first weekend of opening. The sci-fi sequel swung to the top of the movie charts with a $73 million domestic debut, according to Box Office Mojo.

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes Jason Clarke
Jason Clarke Stars In 'Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes,' Which Has Enjoyed An Impressive Opening Weekend.

Director Matt Reeves has taken his time crafting the follow-up to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes which has paid off as critics race to praise the action movie and fans race to the movie theaters.

More: So, 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is basically the best film ever, right?

The movie has enjoyed one of the summer's best debuts, easily surpassing the $54.8million opening to its predecessor. Reviewers have praised all aspects of the movie, from the spectacular CGI work to the solid acting to the gripping plot and premise that continues to enthral audiences nearly five decades after the first of the chimp franchise premiered.

Watch a clip from 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' here.

Set ten years after the events of the first movie, Dawn revisits the chimpanzee Caesar, who is now governing a new generation of apes. Meanwhile, a group of remaining humans who have not been wiped out by a deadly virus are living in a guarded tower in a ruined San Francisco. As territories begin to cross, it becomes clear that the apes will stop at nothing to prevent humans ruling over them ever again.

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Action Sequel Could Prove To Be The Summer's Stand-Out Blockbuster.

"When you get the kind of reviews we got and the audience actually agrees, it's the kind of rare thing where critics and audiences come together and say this is a great movie," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution at Fox. As a result of the increasing confidence in the franchise, another sequel is already in the works.

More: 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' dives deep into the psychology of violence, critics discover.

After two weeks at the top of the charts, Michael Bay's fantasy sci-fi sequel Transformers: Age of Extinction was pushed down to second with $16.5 million, taking its three-week domestic total to $209 million.