Tom Cruise’s ‘Top Gun’ tops the North American box office again

The action drama “Top Gun: Maverick” hit a huge second weekend in North American theaters, grossing an estimated $86 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

This “sensational” number for Paramount’s long-awaited sequel to Tom Cruise placed it among the second 10 highest-grossing weekends in domestic box office history, Variety reported. It grossed $151 million last weekend.

Bolstered by its captivating visuals and exceptionally positive reviews — especially for a sequel — the Paramount/Skydance film has grossed $257 million overseas, the latest sign of Hollywood’s recovery from a grim pandemic period.

‘Maverick’ picks up the story of now grizzled US Navy test pilot Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Cruise) as he trains young airmen for a mission to attack a nuclear facility in a rogue state .

Disney’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ranks second with $9.3 million for the Friday-Sunday period. The Benedict Cumberbatch film’s worldwide take topped $750 million in its five-week run.

The 20th-century animated film “Bob’s Burgers Movie,” based on a popular television show, held on to third place, grossing $4.5 million.

In fourth place, up one spot from last weekend, was Universal’s family animation “The Bad Guys,” at $3.3 million.

Focus Features’ ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’, based on the hugely popular British series, slipped one spot to fifth place, earning $3 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Everything, everywhere, all at once” ($2 million)

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” ($1.7 million)

“The Lost City” ($1.4 million)

“Crimes of the Future” ($1.1 million)

“Observer” ($815,000)