‘Fantastic Beasts’ tops North America box office

Los Angeles: "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" had a slightly less than fantastic North American opening this weekend, at least by Wizarding World standards, taking in an estimated $43 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported on Sunday.

Ticket sales for the Warner Bros. fantasy film, the third in the "Fantastic Beasts" series, were the lowest of any of the 11 films in the Wizarding World franchise, even while topping the weekend box office, industry outlet Variety said.

"Fantastic Beasts was never going to maintain Harry Potter’s success," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. "That was a once-in-a-generation phenomenon." Some of the early Potter gloss has been lost as author J.K. Rowling faces criticism over statements on sex and gender identity. But Gross said the series remains strong overseas -- as it will need to do, with Covid-inflated production costs of some $200 million.

In second place, down sharply from last weekend’s $71 million opening, was Paramount’s family friendly "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," at $30 million. The original Harry Potter, likable British actor Daniel Radcliffe, has embraced the dark side as a villain in Paramount’s "The Lost City," which took in $6.5 million to place third for the Friday-through-Sunday period.