LOS ANGELES, July 5 — Universal’s F9: The Fast Saga remained at top speed over the weekend, earning an estimated US$23.8 million (RM99 million) to hold its lead in North American box offices, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported yesterday.

That total, covering just the first three days of the four-day July 4 holiday weekend, was down sharply from the zoom-bang-bam action film’s opening total of US$70 million.

Still, this ninth instalment in the Fast and Furious franchise — starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and John Cena — fended off two strong new challengers. In fact, Universal pulled off a rare hat trick, dominating all three top box-office spots.

That studio’s animated sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business placed second, at US$17.3 million. The latest yarn about a can-do "boss baby” who energises — or infuriates — all around him features the voices of Alec Baldwin, Eva Longoria, Jeff Goldblum, Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel.

In third was horror film The Forever Purge, headed for a US$12.8 million take. This fifth, and purportedly last, in the Purge series is again set in a dystopian near-future where all crime, including murder, is made legal one day a year. Ana de la Reguera and Tenoch Huerta star.

Fourth spot went to Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Part II, at US$4.2 million. This was the first weekend since the John Krasinski-directed horror film’s release six weeks ago that it placed out of the top two.

And in fifth was a Lionsgate sequel, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, at US$3 million. The action comedy has Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek reprising their roles from 2017’s The Hitman’s Bodyguard.

As Hollywood claws its way back from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, studios have yet to release the usual full menu of summer blockbusters. The US$70.7 million combined gross of this weekend’s top 12 films was less than half the normal from past July 4 weekends.

Rounding out this weekend’s top 10 were:

Cruella (US$2.6 million)

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (US$2.3 million)

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (US$1.3 million)

In the Heights (US$1.3 million)

Zola (US$1.2 million) — AFP