'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' and 'The Mule' Score at Box Office

But it was a calamitous weekend at the North American box office for Peter Jackson, whose name did little for “Mortal Engines,” which arrived as one of the biggest flops of the year.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” heralded for its inventive animation and clever use of multiple Spideys, was the No. 1 movie in the United States and Canada. It collected about $35.4 million at 3,813 theaters, according to Comscore, which compiles box-office data. Sony spent roughly $90 million to make the movie, not including substantial marketing costs. The PG-rated film was produced by a team that included Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the duo behind “The Lego Movie.”

Ticket buyers agreed with critics, giving “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” an A-plus grade in CinemaScore exit polls.

“The Mule” (Warner Bros.), which Eastwood also directed, took in an estimated $17.2 million, one of the best initial results for an original drama this year. That total, enough for second place, gave Eastwood his biggest opening as a star since 2000, when “Space Cowboys” arrived to $18.1 million, or roughly $27 million after adjusting for inflation.

“The Mule,” which cost $50 million to make, is expected to do well over the busy holiday period, in part because it will have little direct competition; studios are mostly planning to serve up fantasies heavy on computer-generated imagery.

Speaking of which: “Mortal Engines” (Universal), a futuristic fantasy involving giant, predator cities that roll on wheels, collected an estimated $7.5 million — a terrible result for a film that cost Media Rights Capital and Universal at least $100 million to make, not including marketing.

“Mortal Engines” was directed by Christian Rivers from a script by Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the Oscar-winning trio behind the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies. Universal used the screenwriters’ connection with fantasy fans in its marketing campaign. Rivers, a first-time feature filmmaker, also worked on those blockbusters; he is one of Jackson’s longtime storyboard and visual effects artists.

“Mortal Engines,” which received poor reviews, has taken in an additional $35 million in release overseas.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.