'Top Gun' soars back to surprise lead in N.American theaters / Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE - AFP/File
-
Hungary parliament to elect Orban-critic judge as president
-
Schools closed as Indonesia battles wildfires
-
Wallabies lock Amatosero given three-match ban for Japan red card
-
Swiatek dominates Shnaider to set up Toronto semi with Svitolina
-
Swiatek races into Toronto semis as Svitolina battles through
-
Oil prices rise further as hopes for Hormuz deal fade
-
'Big Four' bowlers back as ageing Australia begin gruelling run
-
One year after Putin-Trump summit, 'spirit of Anchorage' dissipated
-
AI's hunger for power sparks US private gas plant boom
-
Farage vs Count Binface: What to know about UK snap poll
-
Memphis AI data center fuels pollution fight in Black neighborhood
-
Torment of Afghan fathers as daughters deprived of education
-
Ceuta leader wants migrant detention centre after influx
-
Return of displaced Syrian Kurds to hometown suspended after violence
-
Colombia scrambles to find survivors as quake kills 111
-
Swiatek races past Shnaider into Toronto semi-finals
-
Rain postponements wreck Montreal Masters schedule
-
Helping Parents Downsize: Tips for a Smooth Transition
-
Meta pushes global AI vision amid race with OpenAI, Anthropic and China
-
Notts Forest owner Marinakis sues Palace over gun banner - reports
-
US judge ends graft case against India's Adani
-
Koech gets three-year ban, stripped of US 1,500m title
-
Anderson retires after 10 MLB seasons after 'too much pain'
-
Sensational Ingebrigtsen back with more European gold
-
Colombia in state of emergency as quake kills 111
-
'A scare': Brazil player leaps into tunnel in joy over goal
-
Britain's Amy Hunt wins European women's 100m gold
-
USA Swimming CFO Hilliard arrested for alleged theft
-
Trump order pushes for overhaul of childhood vaccine schedule
-
Trump insists Netanyahu relationship 'very good' despite Gaza rift
-
Global stocks mixed while oil prices jump on Hormuz
-
Ingebrigtsen delivers masterclass for seventh European athletics gold
-
Turkey MPs back historic law on reintegrating Kurdish militants
-
Colombia declares state of emergency after quake kills 111
-
'Dreams disappear' as Gaza students await evacuation to Italy
-
Golden relay double for Britain at Europeans as Marchand takes silver
-
Third European gold for Schilder in women's shot put
-
Barcelona's Araujo heads to Liverpool on loan
-
Golden relay double for Britain at Europeans as Marchand settles for silver
-
Tupac Shakur murder trial begins 30 years after rapper's death
-
US had hottest month on record in July
-
Russia bars only anti-war party from elections
-
Colombia quake leaves 69 dead, with more trapped under rubble
-
Boeing to divest tech ventures for stake in air-taxi startup
-
Bookmap Announces Partnership with Plus500 to Expand Futures Trading Access
-
Major quake rocks Colombia and neighbors, 18 confirmed dead
-
Barcelona turn down PSG offer for Torres
-
Brazil aircraft maker Embraer raises outlook after record revenue
-
Buildings collapse as major quake rocks Colombia and neighbors
-
Drought forces water restrictions across nearly 70 percent of France
'Top Gun' soars back to surprise lead in N.American theaters
In a reflection of Hollywood's deep late-summer slump, "Top Gun: Maverick," first released 15 weeks ago, climbed back to the top of the North American box office this weekend despite a relatively slim four-day take of $7.9 million.
The Paramount action thriller, starring a graying but still flight-ready Tom Cruise, has now soared to a domestic total of $701 million and $740 million internationally, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Monday.
That gravity-defying success came amid a generally abysmal patch for Hollywood films, with few major new releases. A lone bright spot was the record 8.1 million US moviegoers who took advantage of $3 tickets on Saturday's National Cinema Day.
Second place on the long Labor Day weekend -- celebrated in both the United States and Canada -- went to last weekend's No. 2: Sony's action thriller "Bullet Train," at $7.3 million. Brad Pitt stars.
Seeking to fill the late-summer vacuum, Sony re-released superhero film "Spider-Man: No Way Home," hoping that 11 minutes of added footage would draw viewers. Nine months after its original release, the Tom Holland vehicle placed a surprising third, earning $6.6 million.
In fourth place, up two spots from last weekend, was Warner Bros.' family-friendly animation "DC League of Super-Pets," at $6.4 million.
And in fifth, slipping from last weekend's No. 1 spot, was Sony's horror flick "The Invitation," at $6 million.
Hollywood's problems stem partly from Covid-related scheduling chaos, said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
"Moviegoers have shown that they are willing and able, but without big, regular franchise releases to anchor the schedule, the box office is going to drift lower, before climbing back in the fourth quarter."
He noted that 2022 will finish with 32 franchise films, down from 58 in 2019. Forty-two are set for next year.
Rounding out the weekend's top 10 were:
"Beast" ($4.7 million)
"Minions: The Rise of Gru" ($4.2 million)
"Jaws" (re-release): ($3.1 million)
"Thor: Love and Thunder" ($3.1 million)
"Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" ($2.8 million)
P.Costa--AMWN
