LOS ANGELES, May 21 (Xinhua) -- 20th Century Fox's "Alien: Covenant" topped North American box office with an estimated 36 million U.S. dollars during its debut weekend, dethroning "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" with a narrow victory.
"Featuring a terrific cast including Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Carme Ejogo and Billy Crudup, this R-rated space adventure harkens back to the first 'Alien' film that blew audience's minds with its gritty dark intensity back in 1979," said movie analyst Paul Dergarabedian at comScore.
The sixth installment in the "Alien" franchise directed by Ridley Scott cost 97 million U.S. dollars to make and opened 29 percent behind the first prequel, "Prometheus," which debuted to over 51 million U.S. dollars in North America in August 2012.
Disney and Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" moved to second place with an estimated 35 million U.S. dollars in North America after two weeks at the top of the chart. The Marvel's superhero sequel has earned a whopping 733 million U.S. dollars globally.
Warner Bros.'teen romance "Everything, Everything" opened in third place with an estimated 12 million U.S. dollars in its debut weekend. The PG-13 rated film stars Amandla Stenberg as a young woman with an illness that prevents her from leaving the protection of her sealed environment who falls in love with the boy next door. The film directed by Stella Meghie is based on the bestselling book of the same name.
Fox's mother-daughter buddy comedy "Snatched" landed in fourth place with an estimated 7.6 million in North America this weekend.
Another new entry from Fox, "Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" finished fifth with an estimated 7.2 million U.S. dollars in North America in weekend sales.
