Tom Cruise in a still from Top Gun: Maverick . (courtesy: YouTube )
Action drama Top Gun: Maverick has soared to a second huge weekend showing in North American theaters, taking in an estimated $86 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. That "sensational" number for Paramount's long-awaited Tom Cruise sequel placed it among the top 10 highest-grossing second weekends in domestic box office history, Variety reported. It took in $151 million last weekend.
Boosted by its gripping visuals and unusually positive reviews -- especially for a sequel- the Paramount/Skydance film has earned $257 million abroad, the latest sign of Hollywood's recovery from a bleak pandemic period.
Maverick picks up the story of now-graying US Navy test pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Cruise) as he trains young aviators for a mission to attack a nuclear facility in a rogue state.
Holding in second place was Disney's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, at $9.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. The global take for the Benedict Cumberbatch film has surpassed $750 million in its five weeks out.
20th Century's animated "Bob's Burgers Movie," based on a popular television show, held tight in third place, taking in $4.5 million.
In fourth, up one spot from last weekend, was Universal's family-friendly animation "The Bad Guys," at $3.3 million.
Focus Features' Downton Abbey: A New Era, based on the wildly popular British series, slipped a spot to fifth place, earning $3 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were: Everything Everywhere All at Once ($2 million). Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ($1.7 million). The Lost City ($1.4 million). Crimes of the Future ($1.1 million). Watcher ($815,000).
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)