Publications
Partners
Washington - Long-awaited sequel Blade Runner: 2049 snatched the box office top spot this weekend - three and a half decades since Blade Runner hit the big screen in 1982, industry estimates showed Sunday.
But with takings of $31.5m in North American theatres, the sci-fi reboot - featuring original star Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling - didn't enjoy the sensational opening its rave reviews suggested it might.
Blade Runner: 2049 sees Gosling as a new Los Angeles Police Department "blade runner" - charged with killing bioengineered androids known as "replicants." On uncovering a secret which threatens society, he embarks on a search for Harrison Ford's character, a former blade runner who disappeared 30 years ago.
Despite a disappointing first weekend, Blade Runner did not face much competition for the top spot - with Fox's The Mountain Between Us, in second place, earning just $10.1m.
Starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, The Mountain Between Us tells the story of a surgeon (Elba) and a journalist (Winslet), who fall in love as they fight to survive following a plane crash on a snowy Utah mountain range.
Meanwhile, with takings dropping from last week's $16.9m to $9.6m, freaky horror hit "It" - based on the Stephen King novel - settled for third place in its fifth week in theatres.
In fourth, earning $8.8m, was Lionsgate animation My Little Pony: The Movie featuring star-studded voice-overs from the likes of Emily Blunt and Australian singer Sia.
But it was a fall from grace for espionage comedy Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which - having taken the crown last week - dropped to fifth place with earnings of $8.1m.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
American Made ($8m)
The Lego Ninjago Movie ($6.7m)
Victoria and Abdul ($4.1m)
Flatliners ($3.8m)
Battle of the Sexes ($2.4m)
