NEW YORK (AP) — On a quiet weekend in film theaters earlier than the upcoming launch of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Warner Bros.’ “Black Adam” topped the field workplace for the third straight weekend with $18.5 million in ticket gross sales, based on studio estimates Sunday.

“Black Adam,” Dwayne Johnson’s bid to launch a new DC Films superpower, has surpassed $300 million globally in three weeks of release, including a domestic tally of $137.4 million. That puts the $195 million-budgeted film — the third film this year to lead the box office three consecutive weeks — on a trajectory to likely surpass the $366 million that “Shazam!” grossed in 2019, however much less sure to notch a revenue in its theatrical run.

When Walt Disney Co.’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” lands in theaters Thursday, it is anticipated to attain one of many largest opening weekends of the yr. Ryan Coogler’s authentic debuted with more than $200 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters in 2018, and forecasts suggest it could open with around $175 million.

With “Wakanda Forever” looming, only one new film opened in wide release: “One Piece Film: Red,” distributed by Sony Picture’s anime division, Crunchyroll. The Japanese anime sequel, part of the “One Piece” franchise, debuted in second place with $9.5 million. While not as sturdy because the openings of Crunchyroll’s “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which garnered, $21.1 million in August, or Funimation’s “Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie,” which earned $18 million in March, “Red” again showed that anime is proving an uncommonly dependable draw in North American theaters. The 15th film in the franchise but the first to be released widely in the U.S., “Red” attracted an particularly younger viewers, with about 75% of ticket consumers between ages 18-34.

Third place went to “Ticket to Paradise,” the George Clooney and Julia Roberts romantic comedy. The Universal Pictures launch collected $8.5 million in its third weekend, bringing the $60 million-budgeted rom-com’s cumulative complete to $46.7 million domestically and $137.2 million worldwide. For a style that is struggled in theaters lately, “Ticket to Paradise” is displaying endurance, particularly because the favored selection for older audiences.

Even with Halloween coming and going, Paramount Pictures’ “Smile” additionally continued to carry effectively in theaters. In its sixth week of launch, the horror flick added one other $4 million to convey it to $99.1 million total.

Some of the yr’s high Oscar contenders have struggled to make a lot of an affect in large launch. James Gray’s “Armageddon Time,” a coming-of-age story set in Eighties New York, expanded to 1,006 theaters in its second week, grossing $810,000 for Focus Features. Focus’ “Tár,” starring Cate Blanchett as a renowned conductor, took in $670,000 in 1,090 theaters for a five-week total of $3.7 million. MGM’s “Till,” about Mamie Till-Mobley’s pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, added $1.9 million in 2,316 theaters for a four-week gross of $6.6 million.

Best of the bunch up to now has been Searchlight Pictures’ “The Banshees of Inisherin,” starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as rowing Irish friends. It took in $3 million in 895 locations in its third weekend of release, brining its global total to $10.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Black Adam,” $18.5 million.

2. “One Piece Film: Red,” $9.5 million.

3. “Ticket to Paradise,” $8.5 million.

4. “Smile,” $4 million.

5. “Prey for the Devil,” $3.9 million.

6. “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” $3.4 million.

7. “The Banshees of Inisherin,” $2 million.

8. “Till,” $1.9 million.

9. “Halloween End,” $1.4 million.

10. “Terrifier 2,” $1.2 million.

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

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