‘Hobbs & Shaw’ repeats at No. 1 against slew of newcomers

LOS ANGELES — Audiences helped the “Fast & Furious” spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw” take another lap at No. 1 even with an onslaught of four new major releases this weekend. From family films to Rrated adult fare, moviegoers had their pick as studios tried to capitalize on the waning days of summer. But although August can be a great opportunity for nonsuperhero films, it’s not a sure thing. And this weekend some, such as “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” fared better than others, like the Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish mob thriller “The Kitchen.”

“There are always going to be casualties when there are this many openers,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore. “They cannot always be lined up in the top four rankings.”

“Hobbs & Shaw” managed to hold on to first place again. According to estimates from Universal Pictures Sunday, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham action flick fell 58% from its first weekend but added $25.4 million from North American theaters. It’s now grossed $108.5 million domestically and $332.6 million worldwide.

Second place went to the PG13 film “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” from CBS Films and eOne Entertainment, which cut through the clutter with a better than expected $20.8 million. Lionsgate distributed the Guillermo del Toroproduced horror which had been tracking to open in the midteens.

“The filmmakers and the team at CBS Films are thrilled that moviegoers are embracing the world of ‘Scary Stories,’ ” del Toro said in a statement Sunday. “It’s particularly satisfying to see families experiencing the fun of the movie together.”

Good reviews helped raise its profile, although audiences were more underwhelmed after the fact, slapping it with a C CinemaScore.

Dergarabedian noted that, even with a PG13 rating, horror movies prove to be, “a consistent draw at the box office.”

Close behind in third was “The Lion King” with $20 million in its fifth weekend in theaters. With $1.3 billion globally, it’s now surpassed “Beauty and the Beast” as Disney’s highestgrossing “liveaction” release.

Newcomer “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” from Paramount Pictures, found a healthy audience too, earning an estimated $17 million for a fourth place start. Starring Isabela Moner, “Dora,” based on the popular television series, also got good reviews from critics and audiences, who gave it an A CinemaScore.

And in fifth place, Quentin Tarantino’s starvehicle “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” added $11.6 million and crossed the $100 million mark.

But not all the newcomers were so lucky. The dog owner tearjerker “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” with Milo Ventimiglia, opened in sixth place with $8.1 million. The Fox 2000 property was inherited by Disney in the takeover.

And the ‘70sset McCarthy and Haddish crime thriller “The Kitchen” flopped in seventh with only $5.5 million. Based on an obscure Vertigo comic, the film from first time director Andrea Berloff (an Oscarnominated screenwriter) features both McCarthy and Haddish in more dramatic roles.