This weekend at the US box office saw comedy sequel Daddy's Home 2 and Kenneth Branagh's version of Murder On The Orient Express challenging champ Thor: Ragnarok for the top spot. Neither of the new arrivals managed the job, as the latest Marvel offering stayed in place, earning $56.6 million according to studio estimates.
The third outing for the Asgardian has now earned $211.5 million in the US and has roared past $650 million worldwide after just a little more than a week on release. It's another success story for the MCU, and it remains to be seen if Justice League can steal its thunder this coming weekend.
Daddy's Home 2 made $30 million, which is a slight drop from the original, which launched with $38.7 million in 2015. And Murder earned $28.2 million despite an all-star cast led by the director.
A Bad Moms Christmas saw its comedy market cut by the new arrival, and dropped to fourth with $11.5 million. Rounding out the top five we have Jigsaw on $3.4 million.
Sixth was Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween, which took in $2 million, while Geostorm slipped a couple of places and made $1.5 million. Blade Runner 2049 – which now appears on course to lose money for production company Alcon – fell to eighth and $1.4 million. Horror comedy Happy Death Day was down to ninth, finding $1.3 million after five weeks on release. With that $5 million budget, its American haul of $54.9 million represents a nice profit. Finally, Greta Gerwig's directorial debut, Lady Bird, added screens and snuck into the top 10 with $1.2 million.