Sawt Falasteen - 'How to Train Your Dragon' soars to top of N.America box office

The family-friendly film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship between a Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) and a dragon called Toothless.

"This is an excellent opening for a live-action animation remake, and it's especially good for the fourth episode in a series like this," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.

Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," another live-action remake, kept up its excellent summer returns with $15.5 million, Exhibitor Relations said.

So far, the film about Hawaiian girl Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her blue alien friend Stitch (Chris Sanders) has grossed nearly $860 million worldwide.

Debuting in third place is A24's "Materialists," a sophisticated rom-com starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, at $12 million.

"It's a grown-up story that's well-timed as summer counter-programming," Gross said.

"Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning" -- the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise spy thriller series based on a 1960s TV show -- held its own in fourth place at $10.3 million.

The Paramount film has now topped the $500 million mark worldwide.

In fifth place was Lionsgate's "Ballerina," a "John Wick" spin-off starring Ana de Armas as a dancer turned contract killer, and co-starring Anjelica Huston. Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance as the hitman Wick. It took in $9.4 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Karate Kid: Legends" ($5 million)

"Final Destination: Bloodlines" ($3.9 million)

"The Phoenician Scheme" ($3.1 million)

"The Life of Chuck" ($2.1 million)

"Sinners" ($1.5 million)

U.Shaheen--SF-PST