In this file photo (from left) Joel Kinnaman, James Gunn, Margot Robbie, and John Cena attend the Warner Bros. premiere of “The Suicide Squad” at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California. — AFP

With COVID-19 fears again depressing North American moviegoing, new Warner Bros/DC superhero film "The Suicide Squad" led the weekend box office but took in only an estimated $26.6 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. The movie, dubbed a pseudo-sequel to 2016's major hit "Suicide Squad," again featured A-listers Margot Robbie and Viola Davis, but two big names from the earlier version-Will Smith and Jared Leto-sat this one out. The film's simultaneous release on HBO Max further hurt its box-office totals.

Hollywood has been struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. "This is an unforgiving market," David Gross, who runs consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety. Last week's box office leader, Disney's family-friendly adventure film "Jungle Cruise," slipped to second spot, taking in $15.7 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, less than half its week-earlier total.

The film, which puts a modern twist on a 1950s theme park ride, stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. In third was Universal's psychological thriller "Old," at $4.1 million. Gael Garcia Bernal, Vicky Krieps and Rufus Sewell star in the M. Night Shyamalan tale of a group of people who begin to age precipitously while trapped on a secluded beach.

In fourth place, for the second straight week, was Disney Marvel superhero flick "Black Widow" starring Scarlett Johansson, which took in $4.0 million. It now has domestic earnings of $174 million, pushing it past Universal's "F9: The Fast Saga" as the top-grossing film in North America so far this year. And in fifth was Matt Damon film "Stillwater" from Focus Features, at $2.9 million. Damon plays a burly American oil worker who travels to France to help his estranged daughter (Abigail Breslin) when she is jailed for a killing she says she did not commit. Rounding out the top 5 were:

"The Green Knight" ($2.6 million)

"Space Jam: A New Legacy" ($2.5 million)

"Snake Eyes" ($1.6 million)

"Escape Room: Tournament of Champions" ($1.3 million)

"F9: The Fast Saga" ($1.2 million) - AFP