In this film image released by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Kate Beckinsale is shown in a scene from “Underworld: Awakening.” Beckinsale reprises her role as vampire warrior Selene in the fourth installment of the popular “Underworld” franchise. - AP Photo

LOS ANGELES: “Underworld Awakening,” a movie about the exploits of a woman vampire warrior, grabbed top North American box office honors in its opening weekend, industry figures showed Sunday.

The 3D film starring Kate Beckinsale garnered $25.4 million at the box office, outmaneuvering the debut of “Red Tails,” which recounts the World War II deeds of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots, with $19.1 million, said Exhibitor Relations.

The two new films pushed last week's top attraction, Mark Wahlberg's crime drama “Contraband,” to third place with $12.2 million over the weekend.

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” the Tom Hanks-Sandra Bullock story of a family impacted by the 9/11 attacks, brought in $10.5 million in its first weekend of wide release.

Rounding out the top 10 in the United States and Canada were action flick “Haywire” ($9 million), “Beauty And The Beast” in 3D ($8.6 million), “Joyful Noise” ($6 million), “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” ($5.5 million), “Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows” ($4.8 million) and “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” ($3.8 million).

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

THE FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth ...
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...