With Covid-19 fears again depressing North American moviegoing, new Warner Bros./DC superhero film 'The Suicide Squad' led the weekend box office but took in only an estimated $26.6 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday (August 8).
The movie, dubbed a pseudo-sequel to 2016's major hit 'Suicide Squad,' again featured A-listers Margot Robbie and Viola Davis, but two big names from the earlier version -- Will Smith and Jared Leto -- sat this one out. The film's simultaneous release on HBO Max further hurt its box-office totals.
"Hollywood has been struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. This is an unforgiving market," David Gross, who runs consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety.
Last week's box office leader, Disney's family-friendly adventure film 'Jungle Cruise,' slipped to second spot, taking in $15.7 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, less than half its week-earlier total. The film, which puts a modern twist on a 1950s theme park ride, stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson.
In third was Universal's psychological thriller 'Old,' at $4.1 million. Gael Garcia Bernal, Vicky Krieps and Rufus Sewell star in the M. Night Shyamalan tale of a group of people who begin to age precipitously while trapped on a secluded beach.
In fourth place, for the second straight week, was Disney Marvel superhero flick 'Black Widow' starring Scarlett Johansson, which took in $4.0 million. It now has domestic earnings of $174 million, pushing it past Universal's 'F9: The Fast Saga' as the top-grossing film in North America so far this year.
And in fifth was Matt Damon film 'Stillwater' from Focus Features, at $2.9 million. Damon plays a burly American oil worker who travels to France to help his estranged daughter (Abigail Breslin) when she is jailed for a killing she says she did not commit.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
'The Green Knight' ($2.6 million)
'Space Jam: A New Legacy' ($2.5 million)
'Snake Eyes' ($1.6 million)
'Escape Room: Tournament of Champions' ($1.3 million)
'F9: The Fast Saga' ($1.2 million)
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