LOS ANGELES, Dec 4 — Beyonce’s new concert film Renaissance topped the North American box office in its opening weekend with an estimated take of US$21 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

That result came in what normally is a very slow period following the US Thanksgiving holiday.

"This is an excellent domestic opening for a concert film,” said analyst David A. Gross, boosted by "sensational critics reviews and audience scores.”

A virtuoso effort written, directed and produced by the iconic singer, Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce now ranks among the top five all-time concert movie openings, Gross said, led by the huge US$92.8 million opening earlier this year of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour film.

Both movies are distributed by AMC Theaters.

In second place for the Friday-through-Sunday period was Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, at US$14.5 million. Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Peter Dinklage star in the prequel about a lethal competition in the dystopian state of Panem.

In third is Godzilla Minus One, a new release from Toho International, at US$11 million. Unlike many earlier Hollywoodian takes on the huge sea monster, "This Toho production is Japanese in every way — in language, cast, setting and all facets,” said Gross, adding, "Critics and audiences love it.”

Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe star in the movie, which sold US$23 million in tickets in Japan over the past month.

Fourth spot for the second straight weekend went to Universal’s animated musical comedy Trolls Band Together, at US$7.6 million. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lead the voice cast.

And in fifth was Disney’s lavishly animated film Wish, at US$7.4 million. Featuring the voices of Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, Wish tells the story of King Magnifico, who grants one wish a month.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

Napoleon (US$7.1 million)

Animal (US$6.1 million)

Silent Night (US$3 million)

Thanksgiving (US$2.6 million)

The Marvels (US$2.5 million)

— AFP