LOS ANGELES _ Superhero season, which began this year in March with Disney's "Captain Marvel" and concludes in July with the studio's "Spider-Man: Far From Home," welcomed its first DC Comics entry this weekend as Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema's "Shazam!" opened in first place at the box office.
The film earned $53.5 million over the weekend, above predictions of $40 million to $45 million, plus $3.3 million in advance screenings for a cumulative $56.8 million, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore. Internationally, the movie earned $102 million for a gross of $158.8 million.
"Shazam!" follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a foster teen who transforms into a fully grown superhero (Zachary Levi) when he says the magic word. The $98 million picture earned positive reviews, with an A rating on CinemaScore and a 91 percent "fresh" rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, among the best yet for a DC Universe film.
In second place, Paramount's "Pet Sematary" remake opened with $25 million. It's the second best debut for a Stephen King adaptation behind 2017's "It," which opened with $123.4 million. The $21 million movie earned mixed reviews from audiences and critics, with a C plus CinemaScore and a 61 percent "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Disney's "Dumbo" was third place, adding $18.2 million in its second weekend. At No. 4, Universal's "Us" added $13.8 million in its third weekend. Rounding out the top five, "Captain Marvel" added $12.7 million in its fifth weekend.
STX Entertainment's "The Best of Enemies" opened in sixth place with $4.5 million. Starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell as a civil rights activist and Ku Klux Klan leader who form an unlikely friendship, the film earned mixed reviews, with an A CinemaScore and a 52 percent "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
