Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) - Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi thriller, “Disclosure Day,” debuted in first place at the North American box office with $44 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

With an ensemble cast led by Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor, the action-packed film follows an effort to reveal a decades-long coverup of extra-terrestrial visitations.

Decades after making “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977) and “E.T.” (1982), Spielberg returns to the burning question of whether humanity is alone – but with a setting in our modern AI- and social media-altered world.

Industry analyst David A. Gross called the $44 million debut a “very good opening for an original sci-fi thriller.”

“The film’s success is going to depend on how well it holds,” he said, adding that “reception is very good, but with Steven Spielberg, many people want great.”

Second place went to Focus Features’ indie horror hit “Obsession,” which took in another $19 million in its fifth week out for a total domestic haul of $188.3 million, Exhibitor Relations reported.

Directed by 26-year-old Curry Baker on a budget of less than $1 million, the film has ridden strong critical and audience reviews to a whopping global estimated haul of $286 million.

Variety said it represents Focus Features’ highest grossing film of all time and noted that it has now had four consecutive weekends above its “already-impressive $17 million debut.”

Inde Navarrette has earned particular plaudits for her leading role as a young woman who becomes hauntingly infatuated with a man, played by Michael Johnston, after he makes a magical wish for her affection.

Third place went to Paramount’s reboot of the “Scary Movie” parody franchise, with $14.5 million in its second week out.

A24’s horror film “Backrooms” came in fourth with $11.3 million, taking its domestic total to $160 million after a record-breaking debut two weeks ago.

The film is based on 20-year-old director Kane Parsons’ viral YouTube series and has now earned over $262 million at the global box office on a budget of just $10 million.

Starring Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, the movie follows a furniture shop owner (Ejiofor) who discovers a mysterious, labyrinthine complex underneath his store.

Fifth place went to MGM’s “Masters of the Universe” reboot, which took in just $8.7 million in its second week out – a 70 percent drop from its already modest debut.

With a production budget of over $200 million, Variety said, the adventure film based on a 1980s Mattel toy “will leave theaters as one of the year’s biggest bombs.”

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” ($4.7 million)

“Michael” ($4.1 million, for a total global haul of $932 million)

“BTS World Tour Arirang in Busan” ($3.8 million)

“The Furious” ($2.8 million)

“Stop! That! Train” ($2 million)