2nd ‘Hitman’ is killing it at box office

Action thriller “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” gunned to the top of the box office in its debut, despite another buzzy weekend for “A Quiet Place Part II.”

Led by Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek, “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” made $11.6 million at North American theaters between Friday and Sunday to win the weekend, Variety reported.

The film came out last Wednesday and generated a five-day total of $17 million.

A sequel to 2017’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” the new film centers on Reynolds’ bodyguard character being drawn out of a sabbatical in which he’s instructed not to use weapons.

Now in its fourth week in theaters, “A Quiet Place Part II” finished second at the domestic box office between Friday and Sunday by making $9.4 million.

Directed by John Krasinski, the “A Quiet Place” sequel has made more than $125 million since its release — the highest total of any movie since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The freaky film stars Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, and centers on monsters that hunt with their hearing.

Both “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” and “A Quiet Place Part II” are playing exclusively in theaters, as is “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” which made $6.1 million at the domestic box office during its second weekend.

Films playing in theaters and on streaming services, meanwhile, include “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it” and “Cruella,” which both made a projected $5.1 million at North American cinemas over the weekend, and the movie musical “In the Heights,” which made $4.3 million during that stretch, according to Variety.

“The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” was the most high-profile theatrical newcomer of the weekend, as the new Pixar movie “Luca” came out exclusively on Disney+.

Next weekend brings the North American arrival of “F9” — the newest entry to the “Fast & Furious” franchise — which has already made $292 million internationally. Marvel’s highly anticipated “Black Widow,” meanwhile, hits theaters and Disney+ under premier access July 9.