Box office top 20: ‘Guardians’ launches summer season

NEW YORK – James Gunn’s comic, cosmic Marvel sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” kicked off the summer movie season with a $146.5 million debut in North America, according to final studio figures Monday.

Hollywood counts the summer season – during which about 40 percent of its annual ticket sales are sold – as running from the first weekend of May through Labor Day. Marvel has long staked out the first weekend, and this year, it and the Walt Disney Co. pushed forward what was once one of Marvel’s more oddball, uncertain properties onto the main stage.

It worked. Riding the positive response of the 2014 original, as well as good reviews (82 percent “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes) and strong word of mouth (an A CinemaScore from audiences), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” scored the second largest opening weekend of the year. Only “Beauty and the Beast” ($174.8 million) has done better.

Top films

Last week’s take / total take (weeks in release)

1. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” $146,510,104 / $146,510,104 (1)

2. “The Fate of the Furious” $8,577,175 / $207,184,705 (4)

3. “The Boss Baby” $5,976,818 / $156,537,343 (6)

4. “How To Be A Latin Lover” $5,144,904 / $20,548,224 (2)

5. “Beauty And The Beast” $5,087,749 / $487,739,364 (8)

6. “The Circle” $3,959,045 / $15,654,158 (2)

7. “Baahubali: The Conclusion” $3,394,061 / $16,330,025 (2)

8. “Gifted” $2,024,001 / $19,209,332 (5)

9. “Smurfs: The Lost Village” $1,838,424 / $40,588,998 (5)

10. “Going In Style” $1,835,383 / $40,536,301 (5)