LOS ANGELES, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Warner Bros. superhero film "Aquaman" is the new North American box office king, collecting an estimated 67.4 million U.S. dollars during its first three days of release in North American theaters.
"Aquaman" has earned a massive 72.1 million dollars in North America if the 4.7 million dollars in special opening and preview events is included. It is also the No.1 film at the global box office for the third weekend in a row, bringing in 91.3 million dollars for a global total of 482.8 million dollars, according to studio figures collected by measurement firm Comscore.
Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, the film is the sixth installment in the DC Extended Universe. Directed by James Wan, it stars Jason Momoa as the title role.
The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry. As the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, Curry must step forward to lead his people against his half-brother who seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms against the surface world.
"Aquaman," costing a reported 200 million dollars to make, received positive reviews from moviegoers with a "A-" on CinemaScore and a 64 percent certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Disney's musical fantasy film "Mary Poppins Returns" landed in second place for the pre-Christmas weekend with an estimated 22.23 million dollars after opening on Wednesday.
Based on the book series of the same name by P. L. Travers, the film is the follow-up to 1964's classic film "Mary Poppins." Directed by Rob Marshall, it stars Emily Blunt as the iconic nanny with unique magical skills. The film's audience was 59 percent female.
Another new comer, Paramount's science fiction action film "Bumblebee", opened in third spot with an estimated 21 million dollars in its debut. The film is the sixth installment of the "Transformers" film series. The previous "Transformers" franchise has brought in 4.4 billion dollars in global box office revenue. Directed by Travis Kinight, "Bumblebee" stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena, among others.
Sony's superhero film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" moved to the fourth place with an estimated 16.7 million dollars in its second weekend, pushing its North American total to 64.8 million dollars. Based on the Marvel Comics character Miles Morales, the film is directed by the trio of Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman.
Racking up plaudits in this Hollywood awards season, the movie has been named the Best Animated Film of 2018 by the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) and has been nominated for the Best Animated Feature film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and the 24th Critics' Choice Awards.
Warner Bros. crime film "The Mule," directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, finished fifth in its second weekend with an estimated 9.3 million dollars for a North American cume of 35.01 million dollars. Based on The New York Times article "The Sinaloa Cartel's 90-Year-Old Drug Mule," the film is inspired by the true story of a World War II veteran who became a drug dealer and courier for a Mexican cartel.
