'X-Men' sequel 'Logan' tops box office with biggest 2017 debut

"LOGAN," the latest installment of the popular "X-Men" movie series, had the biggest weekend box office debut so far this year, easily beating the returning thriller "Get Out" and a new release, "The Shack."

The action movie, from the film unit of 21st Century Fox Inc., collected an estimated $85.3 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, researcher ComScore Inc. said Sunday in a statement, in line with the $86 million estimate of BoxOfficePro.com. "Get Out," from Universal Pictures, came in second place while another new release, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.'s spiritual drama "The Shack," landed in third place.

With "Logan," Fox is taking a fresh approach to one of its most important movie series, with a darker style and R rating. Hugh Jackman stars as Wolverine for the last time after eight movies dating back to 2000. In the new picture, he comes out of hiding along the Mexican border with his mentor, Professor X, when a young mutant followed by dark forces shows up and drags him back into action.

"Logan" got a 94 per cent favorable rating on RottenTomatoes.com, which compiles critics' reviews. The picture cost an estimated $97 million to make, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The weekend's other new release "The Shack" earned an estimated $16.1 million, beating the $12.5 million estimate of analysts at BoxOfficePro.com. The religious movie, which got 14 percent positive reviews on RottenTomatoes.com, stars Octavia Spencer and Sam Worthington in the story about a grieving man who is invited to meet with God at a mysterious shack.

"Get Out," from the film division of Comcast Corp., sold an estimated $26.1 million in ticket sales in its second weekend. The horror movie got 99 percent positive reviews on RottenTomatoes.com and tells the story of a young African-American man paying an uncomfortable first visit to the parents of his white girlfriend.