‘Aquaman’ makes waves to stay atop N. American box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Aquaman” left other movies in its wake in North American box offices this weekend, taking in $31 million, final figures by industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday.

The DC super-hero film, in its third week out, has now taken in a global total of $941 million. That makes it the biggest Warner Bros. comic-book film since “The Dark Knight Rises” earned more than $1 billion in 2012, according to Variety’s entertainment news website.

Jason Momoa stars as the heavily tattooed half human/half-Atlantean hero who struggles against evil forces to gain control of the powerful Trident of Atlan. James Wan, known for horror films like “Saw,” directed.

In second place was new Sony thriller “Escape Room,” with $18.2 million for the three-day weekend — a strong start for a film that cost just $9 million to produce.

Third place went to Disney’s family-friendly musical “Mary Poppins Returns,” at $15.9 million. The sequel to the beloved 1964 film stars Emily Blunt in the title role and Lin-Manuel Miranda as a limber and lovable lamplighter.

In fourth was “Bumblebee,” from Paramount, at $13.2 million. The prequel to the “Transformers” movies stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena.

Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” dropped to the fifth spot, with a take of $13.1 million for its fourth week in theaters.

The film won a best animated picture award at the Golden Globes on Sunday, with director Peter Ramsay hailing the message of inclusivity behind the film.

“We were trying to make a movie that spoke to the idea that anyone could be behind the mask,” he said during his acceptance speech.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

“The Mule” ($9.1 million)

“Vice” ($5.7 million)

“Second Act” ($4.8 million)

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” ($4.7 million)

“Holmes & Watson” ($3.3 million)

© Agence France-Presse