LOS ANGELES: “Abominable” froze out “Downton Abbey” to take the top spot in the North American box office on its first weekend in theatres, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday.
The story of a teenager and her friends working to help a young Yeti – whom they nickname Everest – reunite with his family and avoid the clutches of a wealthy man intent on capturing one of the magical creatures took in US$20.9 million.
It beat out “Downton Abbey,” the movie follow-up to the hit TV series about a British upper-class family and their stately home, which fell to second place at US$14.5 million in its second weekend.
The Jennifer Lopez movie “Hustlers” – based on a true story about strippers who plot to steal from their wealthy clients in recession-hit New York – came in third, with US$11.5 million.
Horror flick “IT: Chapter Two” – which features the grown-up versions of the kids who battled the terrifying, shape-shifting clown Pennywise 27 years earlier and now must do it again – placed fourth with US$10.4 million.
And “Ad Astra,” in which Brad Pitt plays an astronaut sent on a dangerous mission at the edge of the solar system, was fifth at US$10.1 million.
Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:
“Rambo: Last Blood” (US$8.6 million)
“Judy” (US$3.1 million)
“Good Boys” (US$2 million)
“The Lion King” (US$1.6 million)
“Angel Has Fallen” (US$1.5 million) - AFP