WASHINGTON: It was a dismal weekend for North American cinemas -- but Liongates´ "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween" managed to scare some life back into the box office, bagging the top spot, according to industry estimates.
Starring Tyler Perry -- who also wrote, directed and produced the comedy horror sequel -- "Boo 2!" sees Madea (Perry) and the gang head to a haunted campground, only to then have to escape monsters lurking there.
With takings of $21.7 million, "Boo 2!" is the tenth Perry title to snatch the top spot on its opening weekend, Deadline reports.
"Geostorm" -- another new release -- took second place, but it was a disappointing opening for Warner Bros´ latest offering, with earnings of $13.3 million.
The sci-fi disaster thriller follows Gerard Butler as a satellite designer tasked with saving the world from an apocalyptic storm -- caused by climate controlling satellites attacking the planet.
Meanwhile, "Happy Death Day" dropped to third place from last week´s top spot -- with takings plummeting from $26 million to $9.3 million.
Starring Jessica Rothe, the comedy horror slasher follows a college student who repeatedly relives the day she was murdered until she discovers who killed her.
Sitting in fourth was Warner Bros´ "Blade Runner: 2049," which halved its earnings for the second weekend running, taking $7.1 million.
The sci-fi reboot features Ryan Gosling as a new Los Angeles Police Department "blade runner" charged with killing bioengineered androids known as "replicants."
After uncovering a secret that threatens society, he embarks on a search for Harrison Ford´s character, a former blade runner who disappeared 30 years ago.
In at fifth was Sony´s new release "Only The Brave," starring Josh Brolin, with earnings of $6 million.
Based on a true story, the drama tells the tale of the Granite Mountain Hotshots -- a group of firefighters in Arizona -- who battle to protect a town from an historic wildfire.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
"The Foreigner" ($5.4 million)
"It" ($3.5 million)
"The Snowman" ($3.4 million)
"American Made" ($3.1 million)
"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" ($3 million)
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