The Predator bites off US$24 million at North American box office
The Predator was able to fend off The Nun at the domestic box office.
Shane Black's sci-fi actioner launched with a tepid US$24 million (S$33 million). It was enough to top the weekend box office but not enough to land a franchise-best debut, a distinction that still belongs to 2010's Predator with US$24.7 million.
Overseas, The Predator earned US$30.7 million for a global start of US$54.7 million but will need to generate big business internationally to justify its US$88 million production budget.
The Nun dropped to second place, picking up US$18 million in its second weekend for a domestic tally of US$85 million.
Meanwhile, Paul Feig's mystery drama A Simple Favor debuted at No. 3 with US$16 million.
The fourth instalment of the Predator franchise - starring Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan Michael Key and Sterling K. Brown - has generated mediocre reception. It holds a bleak 34 per cent average on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, along with a C+ CinemaScore. - REUTERS
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