DC's latest superhero film, "Shazam!," debuted well ahead of expectations with $53 million. The film, which stars Zachary Levi, was expected to bring in somewhere between $40 million to $45 million. It also earned $3 million in advanced screenings, bringing its domestic take to $56 million so far.

While "Shazam!’s" opening weekend is on the low side for a comic-book movie, its $98 million budget is also significantly lower than other DC films, such as "Justice League" and "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which cost more in the neighborhood of $300 million.

Moviegoers gave the lighthearted film an "A" CinemaScore and it scored a 91% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

In second place was the R-rated horror remake, "Pet Sematary," which debuted with $25 million, easily earning back the film's $21 million budget.

The film got rave reviews when it premiered at South by Southwest in March, but on release, critics were less enthusiastic. It currently holds a 61% on Rotten Tomatoes and a "C+" CinemaScore.

The other newcomer this weekend was the period film "The Best of Enemies," starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell in the true story of a civil rights activist and a KKK leader who unexpectedly became friends. It pulled in an underwhelming $4.5 million from 1,705 screens. Critics were lukewarm about the film, which has a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, gave it an "A" CinemaScore.

In limited release, Neon’s Aretha Franklin documentary "Amazing Grace" made $57,353 from three theaters, averaging $19,118 per location. The film, which was shot in 1972, captures the Queen of Soul as she recorded her Grammy-winning gospel album at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Last weekend's champ, "Dumbo," fell 60% to third place with $18.2 million. Matthew McConaughey's stoner comedy, "The Beach Bum," had an even more precipitous drop of 72% in its second weekend.

Here are the top 10 estimates for April 5-7, 2019

1. "Shazam!," $53,450,000
2. "Pet Sematary" (2019), $25,000,000
3. "Dumbo" (2019), $18,224,000
4. "Us," $13,813,000
5. "Captain Marvel," $12,682,000
6. "The Best of Enemies," $4,500,000
7. "Five Feet Apart," $3,700,000
8. "Unplanned," $3,200,000
9. "Wonder Park," $2,040,000
10. "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," $1,985,000

[Via Variety]