LOS ANGELES, June 6 — Action drama Top Gun: Maverick has soared to a second huge weekend showing in North American theatres, taking in an estimated US$86 million (RM377.6 million), industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported yesterday.
That “sensational” number for Paramount’s long-awaited Tom Cruise sequel placed it among the top 10 highest-grossing second weekends in domestic box office history, Variety reported. It took in US$151 million last weekend.
Boosted by its gripping visuals and unusually positive reviews — especially for a sequel — the Paramount/Skydance film has earned US$257 million abroad, the latest sign of Hollywood’s recovery from a bleak pandemic period.
Maverick picks up the story of now-graying US Navy test pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) as he trains young aviators for a mission to attack a nuclear facility in a rogue state.
Holding in second place was Disney’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, at US$9.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. The global take for the Benedict Cumberbatch film has surpassed US$750 million in its five weeks out.
20th Century’s animated Bob’s Burgers Movie, based on a popular television show, held tight in third place, taking in US$4.5 million.
In fourth, up one spot from last weekend, was Universal’s family-friendly animation The Bad Guys, at US$3.3 million.
Focus Features’ Downton Abbey: A New Era, based on the wildly popular British series, slipped a spot to fifth place, earning US$3 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
Everything Everywhere All at Once (US$2 million)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (US$1.7 million)
The Lost City (US$1.4 million)
Crimes of the Future (US$1.1 million)
Watcher (US$815,000) — AFP
