LOS ANGELES, Aug 12 — Disney/Marvel superhero comedy Deadpool & Wolverine enjoyed an exceptional third weekend, taking in an estimated $54.2 million in North American theaters, but Sony's dramatic romance It Ends With Us was headed for one of the best openings ever for that genre, analysts said Sunday.

Deadpool & Wolverine, led by popular stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, has now passed the $1 billion mark in global ticket sales, with $494.3 million in North America and $535 million internationally, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said.

Warner Bros.' 2019 thriller Joker was the only other R-rated film to reach the $1 billion milestone, according to Hollywood Reporter.

But It Ends With Us was sailing along at a near-historic pace as well, taking in $50 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period in what was an extraordinary weekend for the power couple of Reynolds and Blake Lively — she produced and stars in the romance film.

It was the first time in an August, a traditionally slow month, that two films have grossed $50 million in the same weekend, Variety reported.

Analyst David A. Gross said that final numbers should place It Ends With Us — based on the 2016 novel by uber-best-selling author Colleen Hoover — among the top all-time romance openings. Fifty Shades of Grey still has a firm grip on that list, with an $85.2 million opening.

In third for the weekend was Universal's weather thriller Twisters, at $15 million, down one spot from last weekend. Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones star as daring tornado chasers who sometimes find the tornados chasing them.

Lionsgate's new release Borderlands placed fourth, at $8.8 million, in what Gross said was "a weak opening" for a video-game-based action film despite a cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart and Jack Black. The critically panned film cost an estimated $100 million to make.

And in fifth, down one spot in its sixth weekend out, was Universal's family-friendly animation Despicable Me 4, at $8 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

Trap ($6.7 million)

Inside Out 2 ($5 million)

Harold and the Purple Crayon ($3.1 million)

Cuckoo ($3 million)

Longlegs ($2 million) — AFP