The reviews have not been exactly positive and speculation has been rife as to how Justice League would perform at the American box office. As it turns out, the movie arrived a little beneath its original stellar expectations, yet still managed to top the charts with a solid $96 million opening in the States, according to studio estimates.
Factoring in overseas business, the DCEU's latest entry is now on $281.5 million worldwide, which is healthy if not stellar. The domestic opening has been seen as a stumble after the success of Wonder Woman, but the big test will be repeat business.
This new superhero arrival knocked Thor: Ragnarok from the top spot, but you have to head down to third to find it, as family drama Wonder, smartly counter-programmed against the League, saw big success. Writer/director Stephen Chbosky's latest opened to $27 million. And, as previously mentioned, Thor and co. were nudged down to third place with $21.7 million.
Daddy's Home 2 also fell, down to fourth and $14.8 million, while Murder On The Orient Express rounded out the top five with $13.8 million.
At sixth, we find new Christmas-focused 'toon The Star. The film, which tells the story of Jesus' birth from the wacky viewpoint of the animals present didn't quite grab moviegoers' attention but kicked off its run with $10 million. Seventh was A Bad Moms Christmas, which earned $6.8 million, while Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird continued to impress, adding screens and jumping to eighth on $2.5 million.
Also expanding its release was Martin McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, with the dark comedy landing ninth via $1.1 million. Jigsaw, meanwhile, fell to 10th and added $1 million.