'Shazam!' debuts with $53.5M,handing DC Comics another win

The well-reviewed, relatively modestly budgeted "Shazam!" debuted with $53.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, handing DC its latest critical and box-office success.

Zachary Levi Photographed at Shazam! Premiere Los Angeles on March 28, 2019. [Photo: IC]

"Shazam!" came out well ahead of the weekend's other top draw, "Pet Sematary." Paramount Pictures' remake of the original 1989 Stephen King adaptation opened in a distant second with $25 million.

Last week's top film, "Dumbo," slid steeply in its second week. Landing in third, the Disney live-action remake dropped 60% with $18.2 million.

In fourth was Jordan Peele's horror thriller "Us," which added $13.8 million in its third week. Its cumulative global total stands at $216.6 million.

Marvel's Brie Larson-led "Captain Marvel," which recently crossed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales, took in $12.7 million domestically in its fifth weekend.

(Story includes material sourced from AP)