Predator tops box office

LOS ANGELES — The Predator is at the top of the food chain in its first weekend in theatres.

20th Century Fox said that the film earned an estimated $24 million from more than 4,000 North American theatres.

But with an $88 million production price tag, the Shane Black-directed instalment in the 30-year-old franchise will be looking to international receipts to offset the cost. This weekend, it earned $30.7 million from 72 foreign markets, bringing the global total to $54.7 million.

Starring Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown and Boyd Holbrook, The Predator made headlines just weeks before opening when the studio cut a scene that featured an actor who was a registered sex offender. It did not appear to have affected the film’s box office performance.

Second place went to the Conjuring spinoff The Nun, which added $18.2 million in its second weekend. The horror pic has now grossed more than $85 million.

Lionsgate’s A Simple Favor opened close behind in third place with $16.1 million. The film from director Paul Feig stars Anna Kendrick as a mommy blogger investigating the disappearance of her friend played by Blake Lively.

Fourth and fifth places were neck and neck. White Boy Rick, with $8.8 million, had a slight advantage over Crazy Rich Asians, which added $8.7 million and is just shy of hitting $150 million.