Los Angeles (AFP)

The force is still with the planetary saga "Star Wars" whose latest installment, "The Ascension of Skywalker", crushed the North American box office with revenues estimated at 175.5 million dollars for its first week end, according to provisional figures published Sunday by the specialized company Exhibitor Relations.

The Disney feature film, which closes the 42-year-old franchise, made the third best start in history for a film released in December, behind the two previous episodes of this ultimate trilogy: "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi", according to Variety magazine.

And this despite the many critics who surrounded the release of the film directed by JJ Abrams, with in the lead roles Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac.

It leaves far behind the intrepid players of "Jumanji: next level" who raised $ 26.1 million between Friday and Sunday in theaters in the United States and Canada.

Sequel to "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" (2017), the adventure film starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jack Black, among others, which features young people propelled in a video game, collected 101.9 million since its release last week.

"Frozen 2", who sat for three weeks at the top of the box office, completed the podium with $ 12.3 million ($ 386.5 million in five weeks).

The second part of this immense success of the Disney studios follows the history of the royal family of Arendelle and promises to answer the questions of the fans, in particular on the origin of the astonishing powers of Elsa.

In fourth place, the adaptation of the musical "Cats" by Tom Hooper ("The Speech of a King") collects only $ 6.5 million for its release. The Jellicle Cats' big ball during an extraordinary night, exhausted by the critics, does not seem to have convinced the spectators despite the big names on the bill: Judy Dench, Idris Elba, Taylor Swift and Rebel Wilson, among others.

The police comedy "A couteaux tirés", with Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis and Chris Evans, is fifth in the ranking. The film, which stages an incredible investigation after the death of an octogenarian author of thrillers, raised 6.1 million dollars for its fourth week in the cinema, for a total of 89.5 million.

Here's the rest of the Top 10:

6. "Scandal" (5 million, 5.5 million in two weeks)

7. "The Richard Jewell Case" (2.5 million, 9.5 million in two weeks)

8. "Queen & Slim" (1.8 million, 36.5 million in four weeks)

9. "Black Christmas" (1.8 million, 7.2 in two weeks)

10. "Le Mans 66": (1.8 million, 101.9 million in six weeks)

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