LOS ANGELES, Feb 28 — Sony adventure film Uncharted rode the star power of Tom Holland to cling to the top spot in North American theaters this weekend, taking in an estimated US$23.3 million (RM97.9 million), industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

The film, which co-stars Mark Wahlberg in an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt, was buoyed on an otherwise slow weekend by strong support from younger male moviegoers — the group least daunted by Covid concerns — analysts said.

Last weekend’s runner-up, Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s buddy comedy Dog, held tight at second place, pulling in US$10.1 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.

Channing Tatum, in his first live-action lead in years, plays a war-wounded Army Ranger who agrees to drive Lulu, a dog injured while working with the army in Afghanistan, to her former handler’s funeral. Misadventures, and plenty of human-canine bonding, ensue.

In third spot once again, at US$5.8 million, was Sony’s remarkably resilient Spider-Man: No Way Home, also starring Tom Holland. In its 11th week out, it banked an estimated US$5.8 million, bringing its domestic total to just under US$780 million on top of US$1.06 billion internationally.

In fourth was 20th Century’s murder mystery Death on the Nile, at US$4.5 million. Based on the 1937 Agatha Christie novel, it stars Kenneth Branagh as the finicky, precise and magnificently moustached Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Branagh directs as well.

And in fifth spot was Paramount’s irreverent comedy Jackass Forever, at US$3.2 million. It stars Johnny Knoxville and his band of merry pranksters.

Also of note: 

— While Studio 666 was clearly in a category of its own — "a horror-comedy-music-fantasy-reality mash-up” built around Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters — it managed only "a weak opening” of US$1.6 million, said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. 

— Next Friday’s release of The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, is expected to give a major boost to global ticket sales.

Rounding out this weekend’s top 10 were:

Sing 2 (US$2.1 million)

Marry Me (US$1.9 million)

Studio 666 (US$1.6 million)

Cyrano (US$1.4 million)

Scream (US$1.3 million) — AFP