LOS ANGELES, Aug 5, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs &
Shaw” dethroned “The Lion King” in North American theaters, taking in an
estimated $60.8 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.
The latest installment in the long-running Fast & Furious franchise, “Hobbs
& Shaw” features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham facing off
against “cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist” Idris Elba.
It ended the box office reign of “The Lion King,” a remake of the 1994
animated film that employs hyper-realistic computer-generated images with a
voice cast including Donald Glover as Simba and Beyonce as Nala, together
with Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and James Earl Jones.
“The Lion King” earned $38.2 million for second place, topping director
Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” which has earned rave
reviews and took in $20 million for third place.
“Once Upon a Time” — the ninth of the 10 movies Tarantino has said he will
make before retiring — is set in Tinseltown in 1969 and features Leonardo
DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Al Pacino.
In fourth place was “Toy Story 4,” which managed $8.2 million.
The latest installment in the family-friendly Disney/Pixar animation
franchise that began in 1995, the movie features the voices of Tom Hanks
(Woody) and Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear).
“Spider-Man: Far from Home” — which continues where “Avengers: Endgame”
left off and stars Tom Holland as the Marvel superhero — came in fifth with
$7.8 million.