Mark Wahlberg stars in the action-thriller, which marks Gibson's first directorial effort in nearly a decade. Elsewhere, Steven Soderbergh's artsy haunted house thriller 'Presence' opened in 1,750 cinemas.

Despite the turbulence, Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk” managed to open No. 1 at the box office with a modest $12 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Wahlberg plays a pilot flying a federal agent (Michelle Dockery) and a fugitive (Topher Grace) across Alaska in the thrilling flick. Wahlberg and his wife Durham, who tied the knot in 2009, share four kids: Ella, 20, Michael, 18, Brendan, 15 and Grace, 14, who all found their dad’s new do rather funny.