LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Universal and Illumination Entertainment's holiday tale "Dr. Seuss' The Grinch" took the top spot of North American box office in its opening weekend with an estimated 66 million U.S. dollars.
Based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss book with the title "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the animated remake is the third screen adaptation of the story, following the television special from 1966 and the live-action feature-length film from 2000. Directed by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, the film, which cost 75 million dollars to make, features the voice of English actor Benedict Cumberbatch as The Grinch. The plot follows the Grinch as he plans to ruin Christmas holiday in Whoville by stealing all the town's decorations and gifts.
"Dr. Seuss' The Grinch" received a "A-" rating from moviegoers on CinemaScore and a 55 percent certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film earned 12.7 million dollars from the international marketplace for a global debut of 78.7 million dollars, according to studio figures collected by comScore.
Twentieth Century Fox's biographical film "Bohemian Rhapsody" moved to second place in its second weekend with an estimated 30.85 million dollars, pushing its North American total to 100.01 million dollars through Sunday.
Directed by Bryan Singer and starring Rami Malek, the film is a foot-stomping celebration of the British rock band Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, tracing the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound.
Another newcomer, Paramount's WWII-set horror film "Overlord" opened in third place with an estimated 10.1 million dollars. Directed by Julius Avery, the R-rated film stars Wyatt Russell, Jovan Adepo and Bokeem Woodbine. The plot follows a group of American paratroopers who are dropped behind enemy lines the day before D-Day and come face-to-face with unexpected enemies in a secret Nazi lab.
Disney's fantasy adventure film "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" landed in fourth place with an estimated 9.56 million dollars in its second weekend. The film has brought in a total of 35.25 million dollars in North America. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston, the family-friendly film is a retelling of the classic tale about a young girl who is gifted a locked egg from her deceased mother and sets out in a magical land to find the key.
Sony's crime thriller film "The Girl In The Spider's Web" finished fifth in its debut weekend with an estimated 8.01 million dollars. The film is the latest installment in the film series based on the works of Stieg Larsson. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film stars Claire Foy as an outcast vigilante defender who finds herself caught in a web of spies, cybercriminals and corrupt officials.
