SHUTTER ISLAND WINS WEEKEND BOX OFFICE WITH $40.2 MILLION DEBUT!

Fear trumped love at the box office this weekend as Martin Scorsese's ominous thriller "Shutter Island" spooked its way to the top of the charts.

The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, brought in $40.2 million, easily bumping the star-laden love story "Valentine's Day" from the top spot.

The fourth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, "Shutter Island" marked the best opening yet for both the director and star.

Scorsese's previous best was $26.9 million for his 2006 Academy Awards winner "The Departed," which also starred DiCaprio.

The biggest opening for DiCaprio was $30.1 million for the 2002 film, "Catch Me If You Can."

DiCaprio and Scorsese also collaborated on "Gangs of New York" and "The Aviator" - two films that earned best-picture nominations at the Oscars.

"The two of them have great chemistry, and you see it on screen," said Rob Moore, vice chairman at Paramount.

The $75 million "Shutter Island" follows DiCaprio, playing a federal marshal stranded at a prison hospital for the insane off the coast of Massachusetts in 1954.

"Valentine's Day" fell to No. 2 with $17.2 million. In 10 days, the Warner Bros. picture has earned an impressive $87.4. million.

The science-fiction blockbuster "Avatar" showed no signs it was losing steam, finishing third in its second month in theaters.

It brought in $16.1 million, raising its record domestic total to $687.8 million.