LOS ANGELES (AFP) – “The Batman” continued swinging from the rooftops this weekend, taking in an estimated box-office-leading $36.8 million in North American theaters while performing strongly overseas, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported .
The dark and gritty superhero film from Warner Bros., starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, has passed the $300 million mark domestically in just three weeks, while nearly doubling that figure overseas, with $598 million.
In second place for the Friday-through-Sunday period was another dark film, the fantasy animation “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” from Crunchyroll/Funimation (95 percent owned by Sony Pictures). It tells the story of a young student who becomes a sorcerer and battles a cursed spirit.
Already hugely popular in Japan, it took in $17.7 million in North American theaters, which David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research called “a terrific opening” for a rare anime in wide release.
The third spot went to Sony s “Uncharted,” at $8 million. Tom Holland plays an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunter.
In fourth was another new release, a slasher film from indie studio A24 simply titled “X,” at $4.4 million. While that total was relatively modest, Gross said, “Horror is not expensive to make” and “X,” which has enjoyed good reviews, “should recover its costs and make a few dollars.”
And in fifth place was Metro Goldwyn Mayer s road-trip comedy “Dog,” at $4.1 million. It stars Channing Tatum.