'Spider-Man' slings $117M box-office debut; Sony rejoices

NEW YORK -- "Spider-Man: Homecoming" swung past expectations, opening with an estimated $117 million in North America and giving Sony Pictures a much-needed hit.

"Homecoming" was one of the biggest tests yet for the notion domestic moviegoers are growing weary of sequels and reboots and suffering so-called "franchise fatigue." "Homecoming" kicks off the third "Spider-Man" iteration in the last 15 years, and the second reboot since 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man" with Andrew Garfield.

But Sony has kept Spider-Man airborne. For "Homecoming," the studio returned to Spider-Man's teenage roots, casting Tom Holland in the part. Critics and audiences responded, with many calling Jon Watts' iteration one of the best Spider-Man films.

Sony also, for the first time, joined with Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios to produce the film and rope "Homecoming" into Marvel's wider cinematic universe. Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark/Iron Man appears as Spider-Man's mentor, and Michael Keaton plays the villain Vulture.

Those ingredients, along with a marketing effort that appealed to young moviegoers, pushed "Homecoming" to the best "Spider-Man" debut since 2007's "Spider-Man 3." The film, made for about $175 million, also grossed $140 million internationally over the weekend.

Last week's top film, "Despicable Me 3," dropped to second with $34 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. "Spider-Man: Homecoming," $117 million ($140 million international).

2. "Despicable Me 3," $34 million.

3. "Baby Driver," $12.8 million.

4. "Wonder Woman," $10.1 million.

5. "Transformers: The Last Knight," $6.3 million.

6. "Cars 3," $5.6 million.

7. "The House," $4.8 million.

8. "The Big Sick," $3.7 million.

9. "47 Meters Down," $2.8 million.

10. "The Beguiled," $2.1 million.