Los Angeles ? The Rock knocked down box-office records for April and established himself as a viable action hero with “The Scorpion King,” which took in $36.2 million for a No. 1 weekend debut.

The WWF wrestling champ makes his starring debut in the offshoot of “The Mummy” franchise, which set a record for best opening weekend in April by surpassing the $27.8 million debut of “The Matrix” in 1999.

The Rock as The

Last weekend’s top movie, “Changing Lanes,” slipped to second place with $11.1 million, pushing its total to $32.8 million in 10 days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The weekend’s other new wide release, Sandra Bullock’s crime thriller “Murder by Numbers,” had a so-so debut of $9.5 million, coming in at No. 3.

Hollywood continued a string of big-money weekends, with the top 12 films taking in $93.1 million, up 38 percent from the same weekend a year ago. Heading into a summer season crowded with sequels and franchise films, the industry is well ahead of the record box-office pace of last year, when movies grossed $8.4 billion domestically.

With no major action films opening next weekend, “The Scorpion King” has a clear field until the following week, when the hotly anticipated “Spider-Man” kicks summer season into full force.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.:

1. “The Scorpion King,” $36.2 million.

2. “Changing Lanes,” $11.1 million.

3. “Murder by Numbers,” $9.5 million.

4. “The Rookie,” $6.3 million.

5. “Panic Room,” $6.2 million.

6. “Ice Age,” $5.7 million.

7. “The Sweetest Thing,” $5.2 million.

8. “High Crimes,” $3.8 million.

9. “Clockstoppers,” $2.9 million.

10. “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder,” $2.3 million.