Weekend Box Office: 'Coco' Stays No. 1 With $26.1M; 'The Disaster Artist' Impresses

Like 'Disaster Artist,' Guillermo del Toro's 'The Shape of Water' also fared well in its debut at the specialty box office as awards season heats up.

There may not have been any new nationwide releases on the proverbial marquee, but an animated film about the popular Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos and major action at the specialty box office resulted in anything but a disastrous weekend at North American multiplexes.

Disney and Pixar's Coco continued to make magic in its second weekend, grossing a strong $26.1 million for a 10-day domestic total of $108.7 million. It also topped the foreign chart with $69 million for an early foreign tally of $171.3 million and $280 million globally, including a stellar $75.6 million in China. The Disney empire scored a second major victory as Thor: Ragnorak hammered past the $800 million worldwide mark, finishing Sunday with $816.4 million in ticket sales.

Justice League followed in second place domestically with $16.6 million for a total of $197.3 million to date. The superhero mashup, with a current global cume of $567.4 million, doesn't appear to have much chance of catching up with Thor.

Wonder, which placed third in North America, continued to wow with $12.5 million for a $88 million gross thus far. Thor followed with $9.7 million, while Daddy's Home 2 rounded out the top five with $7.5 million for a domestic total of $82.8 million and $116.8 million globally.

Overall, revenue was up at least 9 percent over the same weekend a year ago. Helping to fuel the uptick were a number of specialty titles either opening to strong numbers, or doing impressive holdover business.

Lady Bird (A24) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight), both of which expanded into more than 1,000 theaters, tied for seventh place with $4.5 million each. The order will be determined Monday morning. Lady Bird has now earned $17.1 million domestically, while Three Billboards' tally is $13.7 million.

James Franco's The Disaster Artist made headlines in its debut in 19 theaters in 12 markets, grossing $1.2 million for a screen average of $64,254, becoming one of only six films opening in 10 theaters or more to post a screen average of $60,000 or greater.

The critically acclaimed pic, from A24, recounts the making of Tommy Wiseau's 2003 film The Room, considered one of the worst movies ever made. In addition to directing, Franco stars as Wiseau. David Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson and Jacki Weaver co-star. Opening in two theaters in June 2003, The Room earned roughly $1,200, but subsequently became a cult favorite for being so awful.

The Disaster Artist began its life at New Line Cinema, but A24 took over the film domestically. Warner Bros./New Line still has a piece of the movie, however, and is handling it overseas.

Guillermo del Toro and Searchlight's critical darling Shape of Water opened to $166,800 in two theaters in New York for a promising location average of $83,400, the top average of the frame. Set during the Cold War, the adult fairy tale stars Sally Hawkins as a mute cleaner at a U.S. government aerospace facility who bonds with an amphibious creature. The cast also features Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg and Octavia Spencer.

Woody Allen's Wonder Wheel, the first Amazon Studios movie distributed directly into theaters by the streamer, wasn't so lucky. Starring Kate Winslet and Justin Timberlake, the period piece debuted to $140,555 in five theaters for a muted screen average of $28,111. By way of comparison, Allen's last film, 2016's Cafe Society, earned $359,289 from five theaters for an average of $71,858.

Among specialty holdovers, Sony Classics' Call Me by Your Name continued to shine, grossing $281,288 in its sophomore outing from four theaters in New York and Los Angeles for a screen average of $70,320 and cume of $908,175. Focus Features' Winston Churchill pic The Darkest Hour earned $109,000 in its second weekend from four locations for a per-theater average of $27,150 and cume of $412,000.