Venom: The Last Dance has been no blockbuster in North American theatres. But, in a lethargic fall moviegoing season, even a so-so-performing superhero sequel can rule the box office for three straight weeks.

Venom: The Last Dance was the No. 1 movie at the box office for the third weekend in a row, collecting $16.2 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to studio estimates Sunday. It fended off a pair of new challengers in the Hugh Grant horror thriller Heretic and the feel-good holiday movie, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

With the election on Tuesday, the major studios opted not to release new releases in theatres. That allowed Sony Pictures香蕉视频直播� Venom: The Last Dance, the third entry in the Tom Hardy-led franchise, to hold its position.

While The Last Dance hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been a huge hit domestically 香蕉视频直播� opening below expectations in late October 香蕉视频直播� it has thrived overseas, grossing almost triple what it has in North America. The Venom sequel has grossed $279.4 million internationally, bringing its global total to $394.2 million.

Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever were neck and neck for second place. Counting only Friday-Sunday ticket sales, the edge went to Heretic, which debuted with $11 million. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, though, factored in $2.2 million in sneak-peak screenings from last weekend to claim a reported opening gross of $11.1 million.

A24香蕉视频直播檚 Heretic, directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, follows two Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who knock on the door of a man (Grant) they香蕉视频直播檒l regret trying to evangelize to. Though 香蕉视频直播淗eretic香蕉视频直播� has been critically acclaimed for the darkest turn yet by Grant, audiences were less impressed, giving it a C+ CinemaScore. Regardless, with a budget under $10 million, Heretic will easily turn a profit.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, released by Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, which specializes in Christian entertainment, is about six siblings with a bad reputation who take over the local church pageant. The film, an adaptation of Barbara Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 1972 children香蕉视频直播檚 book directed by Dallas Jenkins, did well with audiences, who gave it a 香蕉视频直播淎香蕉视频直播� CinemaScore. It, too, was modestly budgeted at about $10 million.

In its seventh week of release, Universal and DreamWorks Animation香蕉视频直播檚 The Wild Robot continues to show little rust in theatres. It landed in fourth place with $6.6 million, bringing its domestic haul to $130.2 million and its worldwide gross to $292 million.

Sean Baker香蕉视频直播檚 acclaimed Anora, starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker, expanded into wide release. The Neon film, an expected best-picture contender, collected $2.4 million in 1,104 theatres. Its four-week total stands at $7.2 million.

The papal thriller Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, continues to perform exceptionally well for an adult-oriented drama. The Focus Features release, in its third weekend of release, added 487 theatres and dipped a modest 19% to earn $4.1 million. It has collected $21.5 million. Similarly, A24香蕉视频直播檚 We Live in Time, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, has stayed strong, grossing $2.2 million in its fifth weekend for a $21.8 million total.

Overall ticket sales, though, remain sluggish. Box office is running about 11 per cent behind last year, according to Comscore. In the last two weeks, overall ticket sales are down about 50 per cent from the pre-pandemic average, according to David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter for Franchise Entertainment.

The good news for theatres: The next few weeks are lined up for several big new releases, including the Amazon MGM Christmas comedy Red One (Nov. 15), Paramount Pictures香蕉视频直播� Gladiator II (Nov. 22), Universal香蕉视频直播檚 Wicked (also Nov. 22) and the Walt Disney Co.香蕉视频直播檚 Moana 2 (Nov. 27).

香蕉视频直播淏etter late than never is the rule of the day and we can expect some positive success stories coming out of the Thanksgiving corridor,香蕉视频直播� said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. 香蕉视频直播淲hich looks to be on par with some of the biggest such frames over the past many years.香蕉视频直播�

Before opening in U.S. theatres, Red One, starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, kicked off in 75 overseas markets, collecting $26.6 million. The film carries a hefty price tag of about $250 million to make.

Final domestic figures will be released Monday. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore, are:

1. 香蕉视频直播淰enom: The Last Dance,香蕉视频直播� $16.2 million.

2. 香蕉视频直播淗eretic,香蕉视频直播� $11 million.

3. 香蕉视频直播淭he Best Christmas Pageant Ever,香蕉视频直播� $8.9 million.

4. 香蕉视频直播淭he Wild Robot,香蕉视频直播� $6.7 million.

5. 香蕉视频直播淪mile 2,香蕉视频直播� $5 million.

6. 香蕉视频直播淐onclave,香蕉视频直播� $4.1 million.

7. 香蕉视频直播淎nora,香蕉视频直播� $2.5 million.

8. 香蕉视频直播淗ere,香蕉视频直播� $2.4 million.

9. 香蕉视频直播淲e Live in Time,香蕉视频直播� $2.2 million.

10. 香蕉视频直播淭errifier 3,香蕉视频直播� $1.4 million.