Disney/Marvel superhero comedy “Deadpool & Wolverine” clawed its way back to the top of the North American box office this weekend, taking in an estimated $18.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. The Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman vehicle has now topped the box office for four of its five weekends out, logging impressive total ticket sales of $577.2 million domestically and $634 million internationally. Last weekend’s leader, sci-fi horror film “Alien: Romulus” from 20th Century Studios, slipped to second, earning $16.2 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.

The tale of a terrifying encounter between space colonists and a face-eating alien is directed by Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez. Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux and Spike Fearn star. Sony’s “It Ends With Us,” a romantic drama based on a popular Colleen Hoover novel, had $11.9 million in ticket sales. Blake Lively stars and co-produced the film, which has performed unexpectedly well for the genre, taking in a global total so far of $242 million. “It’s among the highlights of the summer,” said analyst David A. Gross, adding that “it’s another sign of the industry’s improving health.”

New psychological thriller “Blink Twice,” from MGM Studios, placed fourth, at $7.3 million. The story of a cocktail waitress (Naomi Ackie) who visits the mysterious island of a tech billionaire (Channing Tatum) was directed by actress Zoe Kravitz (daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actor Lisa Bonnet) in her directorial debut.

Given the glutted field of crime thrillers, Gross said, how well such films perform is “almost always cast-driven.” In this case the cast, along with Ackie and Tatum, includes Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment and Geena Davis. And in fifth was Sony’s new biblical drama “The Forge,” at $6.6 million, not a bad opening for a movie that cost $5 million to make. A spinoff from 2015’s inspirational drama “War Room,” it tells the story of a floundering, directionless 19-year-old who finds motivation to get himself together. Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Twisters” ($6.2 million)

“Coraline” (re-release, $5 million)

“The Crow” ($4.6 million)

“Despicable Me 4” ($4.4 million)

“Inside Out 2” ($2.1 million). — AFP