For the first time in Hayao Miyazaki害羞草研究所檚 decades-spanning career, the 82-year-old Japanese anime master is No. 1 at the North American box office. Miyazaki害羞草研究所檚 latest enchantment, debuted with $12.8 million, according to studio estimates.

害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron,害羞草研究所� the long-awaited animated fantasy from the director of 害羞草研究所淪pirited Away,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淢y Neighbor Totoro害羞草研究所� and other cherished anime classics, is only the third anime to ever top the box office in U.S. and Canadian theaters, and the first original anime to do so. The film, which is playing in both subtitled and dubbed versions, is also the first fully foreign production to land atop the domestic box office this year.

Though Miyazaki害羞草研究所檚 movies have often been enormous hits in Japan and Asia, they害羞草研究所檝e traditionally made less of a mark in North American cinemas. The director害羞草研究所檚 previous best performer was his last movie, 2013害羞草研究所檚 which grossed $5.2 million in its entire domestic run.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really a resounding statement for what animation can be,害羞草研究所� said Eric Beckman, founder and chief executive of GKIDS, the North American distributor for Studio Ghibli films. 害羞草研究所淎merican audiences have been ready for a lot more than what they害羞草研究所檝e been getting, and I think this really points to that direction.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron害羞草研究所� for years was expected to be Miyazaki害羞草研究所檚 swan song. But just as it was making its premiere at the in September, Junichi Nishioka, Studio Ghibli vice president, said the previously retired Miyazaki has begun

害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron,害羞草研究所� has been hailed as films of the year. The film, featuring an English dub voice cast including Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Dave Bautista and Mark Hamill, follows a boy who, after her mother perishes in World War II bombing, is led by a mysterious heron to a portal that takes him to a fantastical realm. In Japan, its title translates to 害羞草研究所淗ow Do You Live?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron害羞草研究所� earlier collected $56 million in Japan despite zero promotion. Studio Ghibli opted to release the film without production stills, trailers, ads or billboards.

The U.S. and Canadian release included conventional advertising but was similarly handled with the care of something truly special as a Miyazaki movie. Throughout this year, all 10 of Miyazaki害羞草研究所檚 films with Ghibli were rereleased in theaters by GKIDS, which was founded in 2008 as way to bring ambitious animation to wider audiences.

害羞草研究所淲orking on a Hayao Miyazaki film is a huge honor but also kind of terrifying,害羞草研究所� Beckman said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e really just trying to do justice to the film.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淩enaissance: A Film by Beyonc茅,害羞草研究所� dropped steeply in its second weekend. The concert film, the second pop star release distributed by AMC Theatres collected $5 million in its second weekend, a decline of 76% from its $21 million opening.

That allowed Lionsgate害羞草研究所檚 still-going-strong to take second place, with an estimated $9.4 million in its fourth weekend of release. The 害羞草研究所淗unger Games害羞草研究所� prequel has a domestic haul of $135.7 million.

害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron害羞草研究所� wasn害羞草研究所檛 the only Japanese film that ranked among the top movies in theaters over the weekend. 害羞草研究所淕odzilla Minus One害羞草研究所� followed up its stellar debut last weekend with $8.3 million for Toho Studios. Takashi Yamazaki害羞草研究所檚 acclaimed kaiju movie dipped just 27% in its second weekend of release, bringing its total to $25 million.

Several potential awards contenders got off to strong starts in limited release. Yorgos Lanthimos害羞草研究所� warped fantasy starring Emma Stone, opened with $644,000 from nine theaters in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin, Texas. 害羞草研究所淧oor Things害羞草研究所� expands in more theaters next week.

played an Oscar-qualifying run in two theaters in New York and Los Angeles with a per screen average of $58,532 for Neon. It stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as the author Isabel Wilkerson while she investigates race and inequality for her book 害羞草研究所淐aste: The Origins of Our Discontents.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淥rigin害羞草研究所� opens wide Jan. 19.

one of the holiday season害羞草研究所檚 most anticipated releases, kicked off its overseas run with $43.2 million from 37 international markets. The film, starring Timoth茅e Chalamet and directed by 害羞草研究所淧addington害羞草研究所� filmmaker Paul King, is expected to lead U.S. and Canada ticket sales next weekend.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. 害羞草研究所淭he Boy and the Heron,害羞草研究所� $12.8 million.

2. 害羞草研究所淭he Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,害羞草研究所� $9.4 million.

3. 害羞草研究所淕odzilla Minus One,害羞草研究所� $8.3 million.

4. 害羞草研究所淭rolls Band Together,害羞草研究所� $6.2 million.

5. 害羞草研究所淲ish,害羞草研究所� $5.3 million.

6. 害羞草研究所淩enaissance, A Film by Beyonc茅,害羞草研究所� $5 million.

7. 害羞草研究所淣apoleon,害羞草研究所� $4.2 million.

8. 害羞草研究所淲aitress: The Musical,害羞草研究所� $3.2 million.

9. 害羞草研究所淎nimal,害羞草研究所� $2.3 million.

10. 害羞草研究所淭he Shift,害羞草研究所� $2.2 million.

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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press