LOS ANGELES: “Glass” proved shatter-proof atop North American box offices for a third straight weeked, earning US$9.5 million, industry estimates showed on Sunday.
Directed and financed by M Night Shyamalan, Universal’s superhero thriller unites narratives from his “Unbreakable” (2000) and “Split” (2016).
Much of the film, starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L Jackson and James McAvoy, takes place in a psychiatric facility.
Keeping it company in the number two spot was buddy drama “The Upside,” with earnings of US$8.9 million over the three-day weekend, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.
“The Upside” stars Bryan Cranston as a wealthy quadriplegic who hires ex-convict Kevin Hart as his caretaker.
“Miss Bala,” in which Gina Rodriguez features as a Los Angeles Latina who finds herself mixed up in the dark world of drug trafficking on the Mexican border, made its entry at third place to earn $6.7 million.
Catherine Hardwicke directs this remake of the 2011 Mexican original.
Rodriguez, Golden Globe-winning star of the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” is among 95 percent of the film’s cast and crew who are Latino — which is still something of a Hollywood rarity but a figure Rodriguez hopes will become more normal.
Sinking a notch to fourth place was superhero flick “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa as the underwater king.
It earned US$4.8 million, adding to a global take of more than US$1 billion which has made it the largest DC Comics adaptation of all time, according to Exhibitor Relations.
After eight weeks, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” remained in fifth spot, with takings of US$4.4 million.
The film is the favourite to win an Oscar for best animated feature later this month.
Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:
“Green Book” (US$4.3 million)
“The Kid Who Would Be King” (US$4.2 million)
“A Dog’s Way Home” (US$3.5 million)
“Escape Room” (US$2.9 million)
“They Shall Not Grow Old” (US$2.4 million)