After three weeks at the top, Suicide Squad has finally been deposed at the US box office, and it took the terrifying power of Stephen Lang as a blind veteran defending his home from burglars to do it. Horror thriller Don't Breathe topped the charts this weekend with $26.1 million.
It's another success for low-budget horror, which has done well in a summer that has seen on blockbuster after another fail to set the box office alight, or open strong and then fade fast. In the vein of Lights Out (which has earned more than $125 million worldwide from a roughly $5 million budget), Don't Breathe production cost (not including marketing) hovers around the $10 million mark, so that first weekend total is a great start.
Suicide Squad slipped to second with $12.1 million, with $282.8 million its current US total. Laika's latest animated adventure Kubo And The Two Strings actually jumped back up a place from fourth where it started last week, proving more popular than at least one new arrival. The film earned $7.9 million this weekend for a $24.9 million US total. Sausage Party, meanwhile, gave up its spot in second and fell to fourth on $7.6 million.
At fifth we find Jason Statham's latest, action sequel Mechanic: Resurrection failing to punch above its weight. The return of Arthur Bishop could only muster $7.6 million. Pete's Dragon fell one place to sixth with $7.28 million, while War Dogs slumped from third to seventh and $7.25 million. Comedy Bad Moms was down to eighth and $5.7 million, pushing Jason Bourne to ninth on $5.2 million. Finally, there is the mis-firing Ben-Hur, which opened in sixth place and is already floundering down to 10th on $4.5 million. Don't bet on Ben Hur 2: Ben Hurder arriving any time soon.