'Justice League' takes top spot, but still falls short at box office
'Justice League' soars to No. 1 at the North America box office, but falls short with $96M opening.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - It might have scored top of the box office, but "Justice League" didn t have the super opening weekend predicted, falling short of expectations with takings of $96 million, according to industry estimates released Sunday.
With an all-star cast including Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, "Justice League" -- based on the DC Comics superheroes team -- sees a mash-up of classic characters fend off the threat of supervillain Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds).
The big-budget Warner Bros production -- which fared better internationally, taking $185 million -- was forecast to earn $110 million in North American cinemas, according to Variety.
Meanwhile, in at second -- earning $27.1 million -- was Lionsgate s newly-released "Wonder," according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay, "Wonder" follows the journey of August Pullman, a young boy with facial differences, as he enters the fifth grade at a mainstream school for the first time.
After thundering to the top spot last week, "Thor: Ragnarok" slipped into third place in its third weekend in cinemas, taking $21.8 million.
Featuring the self-mocking humor of Chris Hemsworth as the powerful Norse god alongside Cate Blanchett as Hela, goddess of death, "Thor" has raked in an impressive $247.4 million since its release in North American cinemas.
Meanwhile, Paramount s "Daddy s Home 2" halved its earnings from last weekend, dropping to fourth place with $14.8 million.
The festive comedy stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as Brad and Dusty, who join forces to give their kids the perfect holiday -- an effort challenged when their own fathers show up.
In at fifth was Fox s "Murder on the Orient Express," earning $13.8 million.
The fourth television or cinema adaptation of Agatha Christie s classic detective novel, the murder mystery was directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars as part of an A-list cast including Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench.
