A super start for ‘Shazam!’

Warner Bros.’ latest DC Universe entry spins its magic at the weekend box office, opening at No. 1.

Superhero season, which began in March with Disney’s “Captain Marvel” and concludes in July with the studio’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” welcomed its first DC Comics entry over the weekend as Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’s “Shazam!” opened in first place at the box office.

The film earned $53.5 million over the weekend, above predictions of $40 million to $45 million, plus $3.3 million in advance screenings for a cumulative $56.8 million, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore. Internationally, the movie earned $102 million for a gross of $158.8 million.

“Shazam!” follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a foster teen who transforms into a fully grown superhero (Zachary Levi) when he says the magic word. The $98million picture earned positive reviews, with an A rating on CinemaScore and a 91% “fresh” rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, among the best yet for a DC Universe film.

In second place, Paramount’s “Pet Sematary” remake opened with $25 million. It’s the second-best debut for a Stephen King adaptation behind 2017’s “It,” which opened with $123.4 million. The $21-million movie earned mixed reviews from audiences and critics, with a C plus CinemaScore and a 61% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Disney’s “Dumbo” was third place, adding $18.2 million in its second weekend. At No. 4, Universal’s “Us” added $13.8 million in its third weekend. Rounding out the top five, “Captain Marvel” added $12.7 million in its fifth weekend.

STX Entertainment’s “The Best of Enemies” opened in sixth place with $4.5 million. Starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell as a civil rights activist and Ku Klux Klan leader who form an unlikely friendship, the film earned mixed reviews, with an A Cinema Score and a 52% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.