"Good Boys" tcomedy has opped the North American box office this weekend. — AFP Photo

LOS ANGELES — Universal's kid-oriented comedy Good Boys has topped the North American box office this weekend, taking in an estimated US$21 million for the weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported on Sunday.

It was the first time an R-rated comedy had placed No 1 since the same studio's Melissa McCarthy film The Boss in early 2016, according to Hollywood Reporter.

"Good Boys," produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, follows three 12-year-olds -- played by Brady Noon, Jacob Tremblay and Keith L. Williams -- as they desperately try to get into a kissing party.

The three-day weekend was a good one for Universal, as last week's top movie Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw -- starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Jason Statham -- slipped just one spot from first to second, taking in $14 million.

In third spot for a second straight week, showing considerable staying power, was Disney's animated The Lion King, at $11.9 million. Its all-star voice cast includes Rogen, Donald Glover, Beyonce, James Earl Jones and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Sony's new animation The Angry Birds Movie 2 placed fourth, at $10.5 million. That was a big drop from the original Angry Birds movie, which opened in May 2016 at $38.2 million.

And in fifth was Lionsgate's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, at $10.1 million. Based on the children's horror books, it stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza and Gabriel Rush.

Rounding out the weekend's top 10 were: 47 Meters Down: Uncaged ($9 million) Dora & the Lost City of Gold ($8.5 million) "Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood" ($7.6 million) Blinded by the Light ($4.5 million) The Art of Racing in the Rain ($4.4 million). — AFP