'Alien: Covenant' edges 'Guardians' at weekend box office

LOS ANGELES -- "Alien: Covenant" edged "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2" in the weekend box-office space battle.

Ridley Scott's latest "Alien" exploit opened with $36 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"Guardians" was close behind with just over $35 million in its third week of release.

"You couldn't get two outer-space operas that are more different in terms of point of view and execution," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for ComScore.

Fox's "Alien: Covenant" is a dark, R-rated scare-fest about slimy, parasitic space monsters; Disney's "Guardians" is a sweet, family-centered romp across the cosmos.

"'Alien' is sort of the dark side," Dergarabedian said. "It's the R-rated yin to 'Guardians' PG-13-rated, fun yang."

Two other new releases landed in the top five. Warner Bros.' teen romance "Everything, Everything" debuted in third place with $12 million.

Fox's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" opened in fifth with $7.2 million.

"Snatched," Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn's R-rated comedy from Fox, fell to fourth place in its second week of release with $7.6 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.

Final domestic figures will be released today.

1. "Alien: Covenant," $36 million.

2. "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2," $35.1 million.

3. "Everything, Everything," $12 million.

4. "Snatched," $7.6 million.

5. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," $7.2 million.

6. "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," $6.8 million.

7. "The Fate of the Furious," $3.2 million.

8. "The Boss Baby," $2.8 million.

9. "Beauty and the Beast," $2.4 million.

10. "How to Be a Latin Lover," $2.2 million.