LOS ANGELES: The new Columbia/Marvel superhero film “Venom: The Last Dance” failed to match the openings of its two previous episodes but still topped the North American box office with ticket sales estimated at $51 million, industry watchers said.

“Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” the follow-up to the original “Venom,” enjoyed a $96 million opening weekend in 2021, but “Last Dance” faced stiff competition for viewers from a classic baseball World Series featuring the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tom Hardy again plays a disgruntled journalist who morphs into a terrifying alien with huge jagged teeth – and what has been described as a Gene Simmons tongue – in a cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple and Rhys Ifans.

Pre-Halloween ‘Terrifier’ lands atop North America box office

With Halloween only days away, meanwhile, Paramount’s horror film “Smile 2” slipped just one spot from last weekend’s opening, taking in $40.7 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. Naomi Scott plays a troubled pop star afflicted by a grim curse.

Third place went to the new religious thriller “Conclave” from FilmNation, with $6.5 million. Ralph Fiennes, playing a cardinal called on to “manage” the election of a new pope, finds himself caught in shadowy, back-stabbing intrigue while wrestling with questions of his own faith – and ambition.

Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow play fellow cardinals, each with his own agenda, and Isabella Rossellini is a tough-minded nun. The movie has gotten considerable buzz as a possible Best Picture dark-horse contender at the Oscars.

Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) directed “Conclave,” which is based on a Robert Harris thriller of the same name.

In fourth, down two spots, was Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot,” about a robot having to get along witih fuzzy woodland creatures after being stranded on a remote island. It took in $6.5 million.

And hanging steady in fifth was “We Live in Time,” a romantic drama from StudioCanal, at $4.8 million. Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh star.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Terrifier 3” ($4.8 million)“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” ($3.2 million)“Anora” ($867,000)“Piece by Piece” ($720,000)“Transformers One” ($720,000)