‘Alien: Romulus’ opens with $41.5 million to lead box office

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows David Jonsson in a scene from “Alien: Romulus.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

LOS ANGELES – “Alien: Romulus” opened with $41.5 million this weekend to end the three-week reign of “Deadpool & Wolverine” atop the domestic box office, according to industry estimates released Sunday.

The latest installment of the long-running sci-fi franchise features a cast of relative unknowns. It does not include Sigourney Weaver, the star of the first four “Alien” films.

This is the second biggest domestic opening in the current “Alien” series and the biggest opening of director Fede Alvarez’s career.

The film — which stars Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson — was also a global hit notching an estimated $108.2 million worldwide.

This weekend saw The Walt Disney Studios hold both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots domestically with “Alien: Romulus” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which grossed $29 million in its fourth weekend.

The Walt Disney Co. has been responsible for an estimated 42 percent of the industry’s summer box office haul, including hits “Inside Out 2” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

“Alien: Romulus” — which takes place chronologically after 1979’s “Alien”  — follows a young group of scavengers who come face-to-face with the most terrifying creature in the universe.

“It Ends with Us,” a domestic violence drama starring Blake Lively — who is married to “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds — took in $24 million in its second weekend for third place.

“Twisters” was next with $9.8 million in its fifth weekend in theaters in the United States and Canada, followed by a 15th anniversary re-release of “Coraline,” which took in $8.6 million.

Rounding out the top 10 domestic releases were “Despicable Me 4” ($6 million), “Trap” ($3.4 million), “Inside Out 2” ($3.2 million), “Borderlands” ($2.3 million) and “Stree 2” ($2.1 million).

This weekend’s overall three-day box office haul was estimated at $135.7 million. The year-to-date total is $5.461 billion – down 15 percent from the figure at this time last year, according to Comscore. (With CNS report)