Audiences summon ‘Beetlejuice’ to top of N. America box office for third week

LOS ANGELES, United States — “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, the dark comedy about a ghoulish spirit summoned when his name is called three times, has landed its third week at the top of the North American box office, industry watchers said on Sunday.

The long-awaited Tim Burton follow-up to the popular 1988 original took in $26 million in the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated.

Michael Keaton again incarnates the creepily hilarious title character, in a cast including “Beetlejuice” veterans Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, plus newcomers Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe.

Not far behind, animated action film “Transformers One”, the latest installment in the franchise based on the 1980s toy line, earned $25 million in its debut weekend.

Its all-star cast of voice actors, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry and Scarlett Johansson, take audiences on a journey through the Autobots’ origins.

Third place went to “Speak No Evil”, a new psychological horror film from Blumhouse and Universal Pictures, which took in $5.9 million.

In fourth at $4.5 million was horror-thriller “Never Let Go”, starring Halle Berry as a mother protecting her two sons, all of whom must remain tethered via rope to a house in the woods to keep safe from the evil that lurks outside.

And in fifth, down two spots from the prior week, was superhero comedy “Deadpool & Wolverine”, at $3.9 million.