Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ woos North America box office

Disney’s “Aladdin” soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday. Image: Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company France

Disney’s “Aladdin” soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million (P6.1 billion) and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday.

The film, released on the American four-day Memorial Day weekend, earned $116.8 million from Friday through Monday and $91.5 million from Friday to Sunday, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million.

The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith as the genie and the Egyptian-born Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the wily charmer who pretends to be a prince to catch the attention of the lovely Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

The new version is an adaptation of Disney’s 1992 “Aladdin,” which featured the unforgettable voice of Robin Williams as the fast-talking genie (and the less well-known actor Scott Weinger as Aladdin).

Last week’s box-office leader, Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” slipped to second, taking in $24.6 million for three days ($31 million for four).

Keanu Reaves again stars as retired hitman John Wick, this time being chased by an army of killers after a contract is put on his head.

Also starring are Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston.

In third was Disney blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame,” taking in an estimated $17.2 million for three days ($22.1 million for four).

“Avengers,” with an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Brolin, has broken domestic records but, with a worldwide take of $2.68 billion, is still shy of the $2.79 billion earned by all-time leader “Avatar” in 2009.

Fourth place went to “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” from Warner Bros, at $13.4 million ($17.2 million). Its animated title character (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a young boy (Justice Smith, in a live-action role) to seek the boy’s missing father.

And in fifth was new Sony horror thriller “Brightburn,” at $7.8 million ($9.6 million). Elizabeth Banks, David Denman and Jackson A. Dunn star in the story of an alien tot who arrives on Earth and realizes, as he grows up on a Kansas farm, that he has superpowers.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

“Booksmart” ($6.9 million for three days; $8.7 million for four)

“A Dog’s Journey” ($4.1 million; $5.4 million)

“The Hustle” ($3.6 million; $4.6 million)

“The Intruder” ($2.3 million; $2.9 million)

“Long Shot” ($1.6 million; $2 million) NVG

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