LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — A Minecraft Movie easily held on to the top spot in North American cinemas this weekend with estimated ticket sales of a solid US$80.6 million, analysts said Sunday.

That was roughly half the total of its huge opening last weekend. But with US$281 million in domestic ticket sales to date, along with US$269 million internationally, Minecraft has set records in its short run.

The Warner Bros./Legendary PG film, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, ranks as the most successful film adaptation from a video game.

The film’s huge popularity helped put the movie industry’s overall box office performance on a par with the same period last year, Hollywood Reporter said.

Four new releases came in far behind: The King of Kings,” an animation that has a young Charles Dickens narrating the story of Jesus, placed second at an estimated US$19.1 million during its strategic release a week before Easter, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

In third place was Disney and 20th Century’s thriller The Amateur at US$15 million.

Combat thriller Warfare from A24 placed fourth at US$8.3 million.

And in fifth place was Universal and Blumhouse’s horror film Drop at US$7.5 million.