"Bad Boys of Life" went for a three-peat at the box office during Super Bowl weekend.
The Sony Pictures film starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence brought in $17.6 million to claim the No. 1 spot for the third straight week. The studio said the third installment became the highest-grossing film in the franchise with $148 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore, said box office numbers are typically lower during football's championship weekend. But he said Hollywood is banking on Super Bowl commercials promoting films to help boost numbers moving forward.
"Studios bet big during the telecast by dropping trailers, which they're doing for the first time," Dergarabedian said. "They are hoping to build media buzz and get people talking."
The World War I tale "1917" notched second as the film continues to build momentum as an Oscars contender. Each week, "1917" has been holding on strong since receiving 10 Oscar nominations including best picture.
It was a bumpy start for newcomers "Gretel & Hansel" and "The Rhythm Section," starring Blake Lively, both barely cracking the top 10.
Films such as "Dolittle," "Jumanji, The Next Level" and "Little Women" showed staying power.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.
1. "Bad Boys for Life," $17.6 million.
2. "1917," $9.6 million.
3. "Dolittle," $7.7 million.
4. "Gretel & Hansel," $6.1 million.
5. "The Gentlemen," $6.01 million.
6. "Jumanji: The Next Level," $6 million.
7. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," $3.1 million.
8. "The Turning," $3.05 million.
9. "Little Women," $3.01 million.
10. "The Rhythm Section," $2.8 million.
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