LOS ANGELES — The latest rock-’em-sock-’em Captain America film has vaulted past Disney’s The Jungle Book at the North American box office with a strong debut weekend take of US$179.1 million (S$245.8 million), industry data showed on Monday (May 9).

Captain America: Civil War, starring Chris Evans, is built around a seemingly foolproof formula: Marvel comics superheroes — including Iron Man, the Black Widow and the captain himself — turning against one another in a series of massive fights over whether to submit to the United Nations.

Its first-weekend total was the fifth best ever behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The film pushed Jungle Book, in its fourth week, to second position. The adventures of Mowgli and friends had a weekend take of US$24.5 million and has taken in US$287.6 million since it came out, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

The romantic comedy Mother’s Day, starring Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston, was far back in third place with US$11 million but, with the actual Mother’s Day falling on Sunday, up from fourth spot.

The film follows several seemingly unconnected people as they come to terms with their mothers.

In fourth was The Huntsman: Winter’s War, a part prequel, part sequel to 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain. It took in US$3.9 million.

Keanu, a Warner Bros comedy starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as gangsters trying to rescue a pet kitten from a drug dealer, netted US$3.3 million, about a third its previous weekend’s take.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

-- Zootopia (US$3.2 million)

-- Barbershop: The Next Cut (US$2.8 million)

-- The Boss (US$1.9 million)

-- Ratchet and Clank (US$1.5 million)

-- Batman vs Superman (US$1.1 million) AFP