‘Uncharted’ leaps to top of North America box office

Monitoring Desk

LOS ANGELES: New Sony adventure film “Uncharted” jumped to the top of the North American box office this weekend in the year’s biggest opening so far, industry watchers reported Sunday.

The movie starring Tom Holland took in an estimated $44.2 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period and a projection of $51 million when Monday — a holiday in the US — is included, Exhibitor Relations said.

Based on a PlayStation video game and faring better among viewers than critics, “Uncharted” features Holland as a bartender-turned-treasure hunter who, along with Mark Wahlberg, goes looking for a fortune allegedly lost by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago.

Another new release, Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s buddy comedy “Dog,” also enjoyed a healthy debut, scratching up $15.1 million for the three-day period and $18.1 million for four.

Starring and co-directed by Channing Tatum (with Reid Carolin, who wrote the “Magic Mike” movies), “Dog” tells the story of an Army Ranger recovering from a brain injury who agrees to drive Lulu, a dog wounded while working with the army in Afghanistan, to the funeral of her handler.

“Dog,” which has been generally well-reviewed, was Tatum’s first live-action lead role in five years.

Tom Holland, and Sony, had a particularly good weekend, also grabbing the third spot with the enduring success of blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

It took in $7.2 million for three days ($8.8 million for four), and is the third-highest grossing domestic release ever.

Slipping three spots from last weekend, when it topped the box office, was 20th Century’s murder mystery “Death on the Nile,” based on a 1937 Agatha Christie novel.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh — who stars as elaborately moustached Belgian detective Hercule Poirot — it took in $6.3 million for three days ($7.2 million for four). Spoiler alert: the moustache gets a backstory of its own.

And in fifth spot was Paramount’s “Jackass Forever,” which took in $5.2 million ($6.2 million), slipping from second spot last weekend. The irreverent gross-out comedy stars Johnny Knoxville (a co-producer) and his merry pranksters.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Marry Me” ($3.7 million for three days; $4.3 million for four)

“Sing 2” ($2.8 million; $3.8 million)

“Scream” ($2 million; $2.3 million)

“Blacklight” ($1.8 million; $2.1 million)

“The Cursed” ($1.7 million; $1.9 million)