'Dungeons Dragons' opens with Sh5billion, takes down John Wick

A scene ffrom Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. (Courtesy)

Riding terrific reviews and a strong word-of-mouth, the role playing game adaptation "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" opened with $38.5 million (Sh5billion) in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, stealing the top box-office perch from "John Wick: Chapter 4."

The Paramount Pictures and eOne release appealed to more moviegoers than many expected a film based on a notoriously niche table top game to interest. "Game Night" directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley turned in a rollicking comic action-adventure, with a cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page and Hugh Grant, that's bringing in ticket buyers less familiar with "D&D." Audiences gave "Honor Among Thieves," which launched with a raucous opening-night premiere at SXSW, an A- CinemaScore. It scored 91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.