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'Thor' stays No. 1, while 'Crawdads' opens strong

NEW YORK (AP) - The Marvel sequel 'œThor: Love & Thunder'ť dropped a hefty 68% in its second weekend of release but still held the top spot at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday, while the bestseller adaptation 'œWhere the Crawdads Sing'ť debuted with a better-than-expected $17 million.

Taika Waititi's 'œLove and Thunder'ť led all films with an estimated $46 million, bringing its two-week global total to $498 million. The sizable decline is more than most Marvel films but in line with recent releases from the Walt Disney Co. superhero studio, including 'œSpider-Man: No Way Home'ť (68%), 'œBlack Widow'ť (68%) and 'œDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'ť (67%).

'œLove and Thunder" also faced a trio of newcomers, though none came close to toppling Chris Hemsworth's god of thunder. Best among them was Sony Pictures' 'œWhere the Crawdads Sing," Olivia Newman's adaptation of Delia Owens' 2018 North Carolina-set novel. It opened well despite weak reviews (36% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes).

The Reese Witherspoon-produced mystery stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as a woman who raised herself in the coastal Carolina marshlands and focuses on a murder investigation of a local celebrity. Moviegoers liked it better than critics, giving it an A- CinemaScore.

It was a particularly good result for a page-to-screen drama, and another sign that adult audiences - who have also helped fuel the success of 'œTop Gun: Maverick" (still in fourth place with $12 million in its eighth weekend) and 'œElvis'ť (up to $106.2 million after four weeks) - are nearly all the way back to pre-pandemic levels after going largely absent for much of the last two-plus years.

Appealing to a similar demographic, Focus Features' 'œMrs. Harris Goes to Paris,'ť starring Lesley Manville as a London cleaner who pines for a Dior dress, also opened strongly, with $1.9 million in 980 theaters. Said Focus distribution chief Lisa Bunnell: 'œOlder movie-goers are returning to enjoy the in-theater experience.'ť

Meanwhile, the Illumination animated sequel "Minions: The Rise of Gru'ť held the second spot with $26 million in its third weekend of release. The Universal Pictures release has thus far grossed $262.6 million domestically and $532.7 million worldwide, setting box-office records along the way.

The Minions made it difficult for a new family entry: 'œPaws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.'ť The Paramount Pictures animated release, loosely adapted from Mel Brooks' 'œBlazing Saddles," launched with a modest $6.3 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. 'œThor: Love and Thunder,'ť $46 million.

2. 'œMinions: The Rise of Gru,'ť $26 million.

3. 'œWhere the Crawdads Sing,'ť $17 million.

4. 'œTop Gun: Maverick,'ť $12 million.

5. 'œElvis,'ť $7.6 million.

6. 'œPaws of Fury: The Legend of Hank,'ť $6.3 million

7. 'œThe Black Phone,'ť $5.3 million.

8. 'œJurassic: Dominion,'ť $5 million.

9. 'œMrs. Harris Goes to Paris,'ť $1.9 million.

10. 'œLightyear,'ť $1.3 million.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows Daisy Edgar-Jones, left, and Taylor John Smith in a scene from "Where the Crawdads Sing." (Michele K. Short/Sony Pictures via AP) The Associated Press
Tessa Thompson, from left, Pom Klementieff, director Taika Waititi, Kieron L. Dyer and Natalie Portman pose for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film 'Thor: Love and Thunder in London Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt) The Associated Press
This image released by Sony Pictures shows Daisy Edgar-Jones in a scene from "Where the Crawdads Sing." (Michele K. Short/Sony Pictures via AP) The Associated Press
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