'Michael' moonwalks back to top of North America box office

"Michael," the biopic about late music superstar Michael Jackson, has returned to the top spot at the North American box office, showing impressive staying power with audiences, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The film, which chronicles the legendary artist's rise from child star to one of the world's most famous pop icons, took in $26.1 million in its fourth week of release, Exhibitor Relations reported.

The Lionsgate movie -- which stars Jaafar Jackson, the singer's nephew, in his first acting role -- has been criticized for not including any material about allegations of sexual abuse, but fans have nevertheless flocked to hear the King of Pop's iconic hits.

Overall, "Michael" has raked in a massive $703.8 million at the global box office.

Holding its own at number two was "The Devil Wears Prada," which earned $18 million in US and Canadian theaters.

Jaafar Jackson portrays his uncle in the biopic 'Michael'. File/AFP

The hotly anticipated Disney/20th Century film sequel to the 2006 smash hit about the cutthroat world of high fashion -- starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci -- has raked in about $175.9 million domestically.

Debuting in third place was horror flick "Obsession" from Focus Features, which earned $16.1 million.

The low-budget film stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette as a man who makes a sinister bargain to win the affections of the woman he admires -- and must bear the consequences.

"Another weekend, another well-made, low-budget horror film over-performing at the box office. This opening is excellent," said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, saying it only cost an estimated $750,000 to make.

"Mortal Kombat II," a Warner Bros sequel based on the popular martial arts fantasy video game, dropped to fourth place at $13.4 million.

And "The Sheep Detectives," a family-friendly mystery film from Amazon MGM, finished in fifth place at $9.3 million.

The film stars Hugh Jackman as a shepherd who reads mysteries to his flock in an English village. When he is found dead, the sheep (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Patrick Stewart, among others) band together to solve the crime.

Rounding out the top 10:
"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" ($4.5 million)
"Project Hail Mary" ($3.9 million)
"Top Gun: 40th Anniversary" re-release ($3.1 million)
"In the Grey" ($3 million)
"Is God Is" ($2.2 million)

Agence France-Presse