A rush of newcomers couldn't shake "Shazam!" from the top spot, as the superhero comedy led the box office for the second straight weekend with $25.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Lionsgate's "Hellboy" reboot, the animated Laika Studios release "Missing Link," the college romance "After" and even the long-delayed "Mary Magdalene," originally to be released by the Weinstein Co., all opened in theaters. But the strongest new release of them all was, predictably, the Will Packer-produced one: "Little."
The body-swap comedy "Little" came in second with $15.5 million for Universal Pictures. Made for just $20 million, "Little" is just the most recent profit-maker for Packer.
"Little" drew a largely female audience. Jim Orr, Universal Pictures distribution chief, credited the cast, Tina Gordon Chism's direction and Packer's overall know-how.
"He's done it with different kinds of films," said Orr, whose studio signed a first-look deal with Packer in 2013. "He's a brand. And he has a great idea of what is going to be successful at the box office."
It was an out-of-body weekend at the box office. The body-swap comic-book adaptation "Shazam!" — about a teenage boy (Asher Angel) who can turn into an adult-sized superhero (Zachary Levi) with a simple command — held solidly in its second week. Capitalizing on good reviews and word-of-mouth, "Shazam!" is Warner Bros.' New Line's latest DC Comics success. It has grossed $94.9 million through Sunday with a worldwide total of $258.8 million.
1. "Shazam!" $25.1 million.
2. "Little," $15.5 million.
