LOS ANGELES (AP) ― After weathering a sea of controversy, “Noah” arrived in first place at the weekend box office.

Paramount’s biblical epic starring Russell Crowe in the titular role opened with $44 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The imaginative take on the tale of Noah’s Ark from “Black Swan” director Darren Aronofsky led some religious groups to claim the story had been inaccurately depicted and prompted Paramount to add a disclaimer to marketing materials noting that “artistic license has been taken” in telling the story.

The polarizing attention apparently paid off for “Noah,” which features such additions to the well-known Bible story as angelic rock creatures and chic wardrobes for Noah and his family.

“Noah,” which also stars Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, also sailed smoothly in 22 international markets, such as Russia and Australia, earning $33.6 million abroad.

“It certainly feels like the film has really connected with both mainstream moviegoers who are looking for a really sophisticated film and those folks who really want to see a movie that honors their faith,” said Rob Moore, Paramount vice-chairman. “It’s been a very interesting journey to get to this point, but it’s definitely a spectacular launch.”

“Noah” is the latest faith-centric film to win over audiences this year. Others include the independently released “God’s Not Dead,” which earned $9 million in its second outing this weekend, and “Son of God,” whose domestic total now stands at $57.9 million since opening last month.

“I think these biblical-themed movies are like the next frontier in Hollywood,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. “Hollywood hadn’t cracked the code on a biblical movie that would have mainstream appeal. Now, I think they’ve figured it out. We may see a flood ― pun intended ― coming down the pipeline. We already have ‘Heaven is for Real’ and ‘Exodus’ slated for later this year.”